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Serving Locally and Globally since 1921

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Rotary is a worldwide organization of more than 1.3 million business, professional, and community leaders in 200 countries, who make a difference in the communities in which they live. Rotarians provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Clubs are non-political, non-religious, and open to all cultures, races, and creeds. As signified by the motto Service Above Self, Rotary's main objective is service - in the community, in the workplace, and throughout the world.

Together, we lead change in our own backyards and across the world.

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Rotary Foundation

Update from Rotarian Julie Grabb on the Auction Results

The final Auction numbers are in: $39142.47.

Congratulations to all who made this year another big success. We cannot do the good works in the community without fundraising events like this. WELL DONE!

By the numbers: Our Club had:

29 shifts at the warehouse - 12 different members + partners volunteering

$60,280 Value of items donated - $33,206 bids = 55% value ratio

$ 7,450 Cash Donations

31 Club Members solicited items for donation.

Look for our follow up survey coming in January. We Review ALL comments to make recommendations of improvements for next year.

Thanks again for your support and participation.

Julie Grabb

RC St. Catharines Auction Chair

Great Holiday Food Drive

What a great success the Great Holiday Food Drive was this year. President Jackie and friend Lori deliver the food and toys collected by Rotary Club members to the Community Care Food and Toy Drive on December 13th!

Paul Harris Fellow awarded to Laura Hills Posthumously

Rotarian April Feasby, Goodwill President Karen Drobnich and Rotary President Jackie Van Lankveld.

This is a very fitting time of year to present this posthumous Paul Harris Fellow in memory of Laura Hills, as we “wrap up” Rotary Auction.

For those of you who didn’t know Laura she absolutely “Loved” the auction!!

As Laura rose to become CEO at Goodwill, she too took on a more active role in Rotary becoming our Treasurer in 2014, a role she retained until her passing in 2019. When Goodwill moved their offices from Church Street to their current location on Ridley Road, it was Laura who ensured that our Rotary Office would move with the Goodwill Office and continue a have a place to call home and a “roof over our heads”.

Thus, it is appropriate as we presented this Paul Harris Award to Karen Drobnich CEO along with Laura’s Goodwill family and her Rotary family attending today, that Laura’s enduring love of these “families” will continue to live on forever!

Thank you to Goodwill Niagara

President Jackie presented an appreciation certificate to Goodwill Niagara who were our guests at the Holiday Lunch fellowship on December 19th. Goodwill has been assisting our club for many years with administrative space for our Rotary Office as well as storage. They also very generously support our fundraising throughout the year.

Goodwill has been an incredible support for 19+years in so many ways and we truly appreciate everything they do for our club. we were thrilled to honour them at our holiday lunch on December 19th.

End Polio Now Flag Raising

Members of the Rotary Club of St. Catharines, St. Catharines South, St. Catharine's Lakeshore and Interact Club from Collegiate High School gathered together to raise the flag and awareness of the End Polio Now campaign that is spearheaded by Rotary International. They were joined by Councillor Mark Stevens who gave some opening remarks along with our President Jackie and Interact President Rahaf Rifa who gave some remarks on behalf of the interact club highlighting the clubs' efforts to raise funds and awareness to support the campaign.

Congratulations to Rick Vanderkuip - 100th Donation to Canadian Blood Services

Rick's answer when asked why?

Why? We've all known/knew people who needed blood or plasma... who knows... we may need it someday ourselves... Why it takes no talent, no learning curve and costs only your time... and only at your convenience! Why? You can donate together with other Rotarians. Why? It is Service Above Self... just do it!

The next one is in November!

Lincoln Centennial Breakfast Program

Many of you may remember our vibrant breakfast program that ran last year. Well, the new school year is here, and we are starting up again as of October 7.

To that end, we need volunteers to make it work.

What is involved:

Two volunteers would show up at 7:45am at Lincoln Centennial and put together a simple breakfast and serve to children. Preparation would take from 7:45 to 8:30am, serving to children would happen from 8:30 am to 9am, and clean up would happen from 9am to 9:15am. We are open to getting non-Rotarians and Rotarians at other clubs involved to make this work. If interested contact office@rotarystcatharines.com for more information.

Nobel laureate leads speaker roster for 2025 Rotary International convention

Yemeni journalist Tawakkol Karman promotes peace and women’s rights

Turkish Rotary member honored for advancing womens leadership

Turkish Rotary member honored for advancing women’s leadership

Rotary honors a teacher and mentor with the 2025 Sylvia Whitlock Leadership Award

Rotary honors a teacher and mentor with the 2025 Sylvia Whitlock Leadership AwardThis Turkish Rotarian has promoted women’s financial literacy, funded scholarships for girls, and

A way off ‘the track’

One street in Seattle, a Rotary club, and a reckoning with the global scourge of sex trafficking.

Rotary projects around the globe March 2025

Learn how Rotary clubs are taking action in the United States, Canada, South Africa, and New Zealand.

The next global leaders

Young trailblazers find inspiration at Rotaract UN Days. Three participants tell us about the experience, their takeaways, and what it was like to enter the halls of the historic Palais des Nations.

Interact club members are essential workers in India

Since 2018, members of the Interact Club of Lotus Valley International School in Noida, India, have been manufacturing menstrual pads for girls and women, using a process they perfected at their school outside of Delhi