"Together we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change - across the globe, in our communities and in ourselves!"
The Rotary Club of Calgary comprises professional and community leaders brought together in fellowship to make a better future.
Birthdays
Michael Colborne
January 25
Peter Adesina
Ryan Klinck
Rebecca Klepic
Catherine Scheers
Iain Stewart
Steacy Pinney
February 3
February 4
February 6
February 9
February 9
February 11
Tom Tait
February 12
Happy Rotary Anniversary
John Boyd
Franco Savoia
Rick Castiglione
Murray Young
Al McMillan
46 Years!
34 years
22 years
22 years
21 years
Deb Hymers
10 years
Inspirational Quote
"There is very little difference in people - but that little difference makes a big difference.
The little difference is attitude – the big difference is whether it is negative or positive."
W. Clement Stone
SAVE THE DATES FOR OUR BIG BOOK SALE
THIS YEAR MARKS THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CALGARY READS BIG BOOK SALE
JOIN US FOR SOME FUN FOR A CAUSE
Say “Hello” to our New Members
Diane Macdonald
If you’ve been to the recent in-person meetings, you’ve probably seen some new faces. We’ve added several new members to the roster since November and we haven’t been able to keep up with doing profiles in the COG. I’m going to give you a short version today; then we’ll do individual high-lights in the coming editions.
The Major Donations Committee is pleased to have NSTEP as one of our Club’s partners. This year we provided $20,000 towards a project for the expanded training and certifying of educators on the NSTEP programs. This will greatly expand the support and capacity of families in tipping area neighbourhoods with improved health with nutrition and physical activities. Click here to view their progress report.
It Worked!
Manon Mitchell
At the beginning of November, instead of having a regular club meeting, we met at the Military Museums and addressed the 271 unique Christmas cards hand crafted by our Interact Club at Western Canada High School. I put those cards in the mail 2 days later hoping that the wonderful words hand written by our Rotarians would land safely and with hope in the hearts of the many Canadian Forces Personnel actively serving over the Christmas holidays, away from their family.
It was a great success as everyone enjoyed the fellowship with a purpose. I secretly wished that at least 1 person would reply back so we would know with confidence and certainty that the cards made it. GUESS WHAT? KURT RECEIVED A THANK YOU NOTE! Read his article entitled MESSAGE FROM BRUSSELS.
YOU CREATED HOPE IN THE WORLD!
A Message From Brussels
Kurt Kowalchuk
Our club decided that we wanted to send seasons greeting to the Canadian armed forces service personnel who were far from home. We wanted to create hope in their lives, to show that they weren’t forgotten, and that their service to our country was appreciated.
Back in November, rather than a formal club meeting, we had a service and social meeting at The Military Museum right here in Calgary. At this meeting we wrote heartfelt messages in greeting cards to active Canadian service personnel. This is only part of the story. The beautiful cards were handmade by the members of our own Interact Club at Western Canada High.
Forty of us addressed these cards to a designated Canadian Armed Forces mailing address where greetings can be sent to. They forward the cards to service personnel who won’t be home for the holidays.
Included on the cards was our club’s return address. To my surprise, I recently received a thank you card from Genevieve L: A message from Brussels.
Jennifer Jones made history as Rotary’s first — but not last — female president. Throughout her presidency, she invited members to Imagine Rotary and how we can build on what we are today to reach what we can be in the future. She appointed Rotaractors, members with specific skills, and past District Governors as her presidential representatives to help inspire and motivate participants at district conferences in new ways. Learn what we accomplished this past Rotary year, discover how clubs are making a difference, find out why donors say they contribute to The Rotary Foundation, and review important financial information in the 2022-23 annual report.
Thank you Calgary Rotarians, U of C Rotaractors & friends
Jennifer Lavier Jankovic
Chair RCCD Indigenous Relations Committee
Member Rotary District 5360 IRC
Circle of Wisdom Elders and Seniors Centre held their holiday Christmas Party at the Marlborough Community Centre on December 21, 2023 and the Rotary Club of Calgary Downtown and Rotarians in our District were proud to be a part of it. The Circle was established following Covid-19 lockdowns in partnership with the Canadian Red Cross and Alberta Northern Spirit Foundation-Community Development to decrease isolation of Calgary’s Indigenous Seniors, encourage community through traditional teachings, workshops, grandmothers’ circles and provide basic needs support.
Community Service Directors of the 13 Calgary Clubs meeting together
Franco Savoia
For the past 4 years, Community Services Directors representing Rotary Clubs in Calgary, have been meeting 9 times a year (excluding December, July and August) to increase coordination and information sharing among Calgary’s Rotary Clubs. Rotary Helps YYC was a project of this group. There also has been a pooled district grant with HomeSpace that renovated 26 social housing units. Another pooled funding project assisted Community Kitchen in purchasing a new refrigerated truck when their truck was stolen. Our Small Donations Committee participated in both of these projects. Randy Topolnitsky, Howie Shikaze and Franco Savoia have been attending meetings. These modest efforts are increasing collaboration and, with time, Rotary’s impact on our city will be deepened and intensified, by working together.
Bread--New Emergency Food App
Franco Savoia
There are more than 180 emergency food providers across our city. A need to coordinate access continues to be a challenge. Over the past 3 years our Rotary club, with other Clubs and Vibrant Communities Calgary, has facilitated the development of an app to improve access through timely coordination between the providers and the one in four Calgarians who need emergency food from time to time. The Downtown and West Clubs have contributed $30,000 towards the $80,000 budget for the development of the app. The United Way and Calgary Foundation are the other funding partners. NSTEP is the “banker” for the project. NSTEP contracted Technology Helps to develop the app.
Technology Helps has been developing the app over the past 4.5 months. The Beta version of "Bread" will be presented on January 29th at a meeting of Food Collaborative YYC. The Downtown club is Rotary’s representative on the Collaborative.
In February emergency food providers will begin to be onboarded on the app.
The vision for the app is to ease access to emergency food with information on each provider that is current. This has been a long time in coming…
Packaging produce for Good Food Baskets at Community Kitchen
Franco Savoia
On Monday January 15th Lindsay Marczak, one of our newest members, and F. Savoia joined 20 other Rotarians from several clubs in bagging pears and oranges for 1632 good food boxes. These boxes are sold at cost to needy families across our city. This is part of meeting the food insecurity crisis. There will be more opportunities to volunteer in the coming months.
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