Community Members, if you've ever wondered how to support our many local Rotary initiatives, here is a simple way. Return your beverage containers to our local Return-It Depot. See the attached instructions.
Those Rotarians who attended our last meeting received stickers to adhere to your beverage recycling bags. Thanks to everyone who has returned beverage containers to the Return-It Express Depot in Squamish. This initiative has the potential to raise significant funds for our club.
I will be bringing recycling bags and more express stickers for these bags to the next meeting.
I've attached instructions on returning your beverage containers which will put money directly back into our Rotary Club account.
Recycle Bicycle is back! Join us on Saturday, June 1st in the parking lot at Brennen Park.
Bring by used bikes in the morning 10.00 - 12:00
and anyone looking for bikes can pick up in the afternoon 12:00 - 3:00.
If you are interested in volunteering for this event please email volunteer@shhs.ca, if you are interested in or have questions about donations please email bikes@shhs.ca.
Our guest speaker today was Ian Picketts, Manager of Sustainability and Climate Change at the District of Squamish.
The District has developed a Community Climate Action Plan which has a target of reducing our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 45% by 2030, and to be net carbon neutral by 2050.
The plan concentrates on Mitigation - actions that reduce GHG emissions. It will address 3 main areas - waste, transportation and buildings.
Work is under way on projects related to improving deconstruction practices, reducing embodied carbon in buildings, expanding our landfill gas collection system, constructing EV infrastructure and bringing a team of youth to Squamish to work on climate change projects over the summer of 2024..
On Saturday morning members and friends of Squamish Rotary were on the avenues, streets, lanes, and trails of Downtown Squamish picking up litter and rubbish for Pitch-In Week. Two truckloads of garbage were collected and taken to the dump.
A big THANK YOU to Emma Seguss for recruiting all the volunteers and doing a great job organising the event.
Our guest speaker today was Michelle Balch, Volunteer Coordinator at Squamish Helping Hands Society. She gave us an overview of all the programs and services run by the Squamish Helping Hands Society and the Under One Roof facility.
After her presentation, the club presented Michelle with a cheque for $5,000 which are funds raised at a Bingo night and a personal donation. This will be added to the amount raised by the club at the Coldest Night of the Year event and will bring our total to over $23,000 for this very worthy cause.
Sea to Sky Community Services Society, helps thousands of children, youth and adults through more than 40 community services and programs in BC’s Sea to Sky corridor. It has replaced the condemned Youth Resource Centre in Squamish with a new $2.2 million, 5,000 sq ft youth centre where young people aged 12-24 can access mental health, primary care, substance use intervention, peer support, and social services, all under one roof. The Rotary Club of Squamish provided $30,000.00 in funding to furnish the Squamish Youth Hub at the centre, providing technology equipment, a pool table, and other recreational equipment including a $10,000 District Grant from The Rotary Foundation.
Editor Jennifer Thuncher and Publisher Sarah Strother from The Squamish Chief joined us to talk about the challenges facing local news media. Some of the main comments were:
• the Squamish Chief has a great team of dedicated and hard-working staff.
• readership is the key; readership drives advertising which is almost 100% of the paper's revenue.
• the paper version Chief went free to expand readership.
• currently 5500-6000 copies are printed weekly and distributed around town.
• most of the readership is now online with 350,000 articles viewed per month.
• the Meta ban on Canadian news has meant even more effort is being made to drive readership to the Squamish Chief website.
• the daily newsletter email has been very successful in keeping people up to date with what's happening in our community.
At the live auction during last October's Gala, the Sea to Sky Gondola bid $5,000 and won the original painting by local artist Andy Anissimoff.
On Feb 13th, representatives from the the Sea to Sea Gondola donated the painting to Hilltop House. We thank everyone at the Sea to Sky Gondola for your generosity and community spirit.
Proceeds from the October Gala will support several projects that the Rotary Club of Squamish is working on this year, including the Playground at the Oceanfront Park, the John Gullo Home for Children in Mexico, and the Centre of Hope in the Philippines.
S2S Gondola donates Andy Anissimoff Painting to Hilltop House
At our regular meeting on February 1st, Squamish Rotary presented a $5,000 grant to Squamish CAN for projects in the next stage of development at the Downtown School Farm.
One of these will be the construction of a "Kids Zone", which will be a gathering space for younger children featuring opportunities to explore the environment using all the senses.
Krystle tenBrink, Executive Director of Squamish CAN accepted the grant from President Kevin Haberl and Eddie Carter, Commumiity Service Chair.
Squamish Rotary has supported the Farm with a past grant and also in-kind donations and some volunteer labour.
What would you do if you didn't have a warm place to go home to tonight? What if you didn't have enough food to fuel your body and were cold all of the time?
On February 24, 2024 the community of Squamish will be walking to raise money for Squamish Helping Hands in our first Coldest Night of the Year event.
The Rotary Club of Squamish is participating as team Captains, walkers & fundraisers.
We are asking for you to join us and help those less fortunate in our community.
It was a fun evening at Howe Sound Inn on Thursday December 21st for our annual Christmas party. Delicious food was accompanied my laughter, fellowship and good cheer, followed by some lively games. Thank you to Lynda for organising everything and to Howe Sound for hosting us.
We send a big THANK YOU to all the volunteers who helped prepare and deliver 375+ hampers for Squamish Community Christmas Care on December 19th. By coming together, over 1000 people in our community will be supported this holiday season which will make the occasion so much more meaningful and enjoyable for them and their families.
As the dawn broke over Stan Clarke Park last Saturday, a jolly band of Rotary Pumpkineers joined Squamish BIA members and a crew from Sea to Sky Couriers to create the Pumpkin Patch in the Park.
500 pumpkins were spread around the park, tents were erected, games were set up, and the BBQ was lit.
All was ready for 10am when the kids and adults arrived, many in costume, to select their pumpkin(s) by donation, have faces painted, dance to the music, go on the trick-or-treat adventure, do some Halloween crafts and play the games.
And for the hungry, the hot dog crew was busy cooking and serving up the Rotary Dog-in-a-Bun.
The proceeds will be going to the Squamish Welcome Centre and the Rotary Club of Squamish’s Oceanfront Playground fund.
On Saturday evening, over 90 Rotarians and guests braved the wind and rain to celebrate Rotary and fundraise for three projects. With over $20K in auction items, there was something available to bid on for everyone......
Please read Lynda Rocha's perspective of the evening HERE.
Ross Dickson writes:
It was a full house at the golf club Saturday night as Squamish Rotarians, friends and family members enjoyed a gala evening in support of our three local and international projects. The food was delicious and the bidding came fast and furious as guests bid on a variety of items, all donated to help raise funds for the worthy causes. It was also an opportunity for people to break out their best outfits and shake off the covid blues on the dance floor while visiting with colleagues and friends. Many thanks to our generous supporters for donating so many prizes and congratulations to all the organisers, and to the participants for their attendance.
Although the final tally is still to come, it is anticipated that the funds raised will exceed expectations.
'Cocktails and Canapés for a Cause' GALA & AUCTION - a Huge Success!
Carlos Zavarce, member and Mathews West Development Manager, gave us the opportunity to visit the Sp’akw’us Feather Park, part of the Squamish Oceanfront project. He led us on a tour of the plaza, the beach frontages, and the site of the future playground. Then we had the opportunity to go inside the Presentation Centre and Brew Pub which is an all mass timber building currently under construction. As a teaser, Carlos showed us the area which could be the future home for Rotary meetings. It was exciting to see the progress finally being made on this huge project after so many years in the planning and negotiation stages.
Serving more than 65 villages (over 35,000 rural villagers), AAVIL provides support with family water filters, permanent water supplies, water tanks, taps and pipe, schools, toilets, sanitation & hygiene, student support and so much more for its residents, with new projects being announced each year.
In the photo, Steven is demonstrating the water filter that has been distributed to hundreds of families to provide safe, clean drinking water. The filters are made locally in Laos and each can service a family of 8 for many years.
If you would like to donate a water filter please see this BROCHURE; the cost is only C$125.
The three Rotary Districts in BC most affected by the raging wildfires have released an announcement outlining ways in which support and relief can be provided to first responders, evacuees, or those suffering from loss of homes or loved ones.
This week we were at Backcountry Brewing for our lunch meeting. General Manager Stefan Hebert took us on an interesting and engaging tour of the brewery and gave us some insights into the craft beer scene in Squamish. The food and the service was exceptional. If you haven't been, it would be an enjoyable visit with friends and family.
Once again our Rotary Beef BBQ 2023 was held during the Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival on August 5th & 6th 2023. This is our club's signature event and we have been doing it every year since the club formed in 1966.
Over the two days we slow roasted 1600 lbs of Canada Grade AAA beef over a bed of alder, and served over 2600 beef-in-a-bun sandwiches (including 275 lbs of fried onions). We sold out on both days!
Many thanks to our members, fellow Rotarians, friends, family, and colleagues for volunteering your time and energy to make the event run smoothly and such great fun!
On a very warm evening, some of us gathered at the driving range at Squamish Valley Golf Club to practise our golf swing and demonstrate our skills. The results were mixed!
After the range, we joined more members & friends in the pleasant air-conditioned restaurant for a cold drink and something to eat.
Many thanks to Scott Wengi for organising & hosting us.
Rotary International President Gordon McInally is passionate about mental health and helping remove the stigma that sometimes prevents people from getting quality care.
During this year, 2023-24, Gordon will focus on three initiatives that Create Hope in the World:
We kicked off the new Rotary year with some old-fashioned fun at a family picnic in Rose Park. We had games, like 3-legged races, marble-on-spoon races, water balloon toss, and Timberrr.
There were a couple of BBQs to cook up some smokies and burgers to go along with the salads and watermelon. It was great to see the kids (and grown-ups) having such a good time.
On Wednesday June 21st, at Centrepoint in downtown Squamish, Kevin Haberl was installed as President of the Rotary Club of Squamish for the 2023-24 Rotary Year.
Kevin will take office on July 1st, along with his new executive team.
A long-time resident of Squamish, Kevin has had a career in the forestry industry.
He joined Rotary in 2009 and has held several executive positions, most recently as Chair of the club’s Rotary Foundation committee which supports the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International whose mission is “to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, providing quality education, improving the environment, and alleviating poverty”.
During his talk to the assembled members and guests, Kevin remarked “despite the recent challenges, our club here in Squamish has been weathering the changes very well; we are a strong club, and we are in a really good position to grow and lead into the future in our community. This strength is largely due to the leadership of the many Past Presidents that have each contributed to the foundation that our club rests on”.
On Saturday, July 1st, Rotary members and friends had a fun time looking after the Kids Zone at the Canada Day - Sk̲wx̲wú7mesh Squamish Together celebrations.
Junction Park was full of families all day enjoying the music, food trucks, vendor stalls, and just hanging out and having fun.
Many thanks past President Lynda and Kerry Neal of the Downtown Squamish BIA for organising a great event.
President Kevin & AG Liz New members Tony Adamson & Henry Marsden (on left)
Our Executive Team for the 2023-24 Rotary Year
Brian (PR), Tania (programs), Victoria (treasurer), Kevin (President), Kyla (secretary), Eddie (community), Anna (international), Liz (AG), Glen (membership), Jack (Foundation), Ross (Youth)
On Wednesday evening, June 21st, at Centrepoint in downtown Squamish, we celebrated the solstice as Assistant Governor Liz Scroggins installed incoming President Kevin Haberl and our Executive Team for the new 2023-24 Rotary year.
In addition, we inducted two new members; Tony Adamson sponsored by Kyla Paine, and Henry Marsden sponsored by Mike Nasu.
Other presentations included a Paul Harris award to Barry Wetter for his service on the International committee over many years; a thank you to Bob Fast for offering his office space for some of our meetings & events and storing our paraphernalia; and a special gift from Lynda Rocha to Kevin & Vicki of an art poster depicting the Four Way Test in the Haisla pictorial language.
The dinner menu was prepared by Left Coast Catering and served by new residents from Syria.
On Thursday June 8th, we joined SquamishCAN for a visit to the Downtown School Farm.
Krystle tenBrink, Executive Director, gave an introduction and background to the farm and the curriculum that has been developed for the senior and elementary schools. The program provides an introduction to food literacy, sustainability, and opportunities in the food industry.
Farm manager Sasha Wilmott then led us on a tour around the field and through the greenhouse, explaining what has been planted, by who, and plans for harvesting.
The goals of the School Farm include:
► To provide fresh, nutritious, sustainably-grown and culturally appropriate food for families, community members, and nearby schools.
► To increase food literacy in students through hands-on learning, connection to land, and various course integrations.
We supported the School Farm with a $8,000 grant in 2022, and this year built some garden beds.
At the May 24th awards evening at Howe Sound Secondary School, club President Lynda Rocha presented the two $1000 Rotary Club of Squamish scholarships to this year's recipients:
- Katarina Terry
- Lucy Perkins
The scholarships are awarded each year to two graduating students who are active in the community with volunteer work, have satisfactory standing in Grade 12 subjects; and are going on to a Canadian post-secondary institution.
The Bike Safety Rodeo returned to the Squamish Elementary Schools on May 16, 17. & 18, 2023.
This event is sponsored by the local RCMP, Squamish Rotary Club, and the school teachers. This year it was held at Brackendale, Garibaldi Highlands, Squamish, and Mamquam. Hundreds of schoolkids participated.
The kids bring their bikes to school and class by class, they have their bikes and helmets checked. Then they are challenged to a number of skill tests under the direction and watchful eyes of the RCMP officers and Rotarians - ride a straight line, navigate a slalom course, do a figure eight, and safely cross at an intersection.
This event has been a feature of the May school calendar for over 45 years as illustrated in the June 3, 1976 and June 3, 1980 editions of the Squamish Times.
During this week of May 1-7, Tim Hortons chocolate chunk cookies will transform into something incredibly special: Smile Cookies - hand-decorated treats that raise money for local charities across the country.
100% of the proceeds from these special cookies will be donated to local charities in the areas where the restaurants operate.
This year, we’re very proud that the Rotary Club of Squamish has been selected as a recipient of this fundraiser for all Tim Hortons locations in the Sea to Sky corridor.
We will use the funds to support the Recycle Bicycle program to ensure that everyone in Squamish who wants a bike can have a bike and a proper helmet.
When people have access to clean water and sanitation, waterborne diseases decrease, children stay healthier and attend school more regularly, and mothers can spend less time carrying water and more time helping their families.
Through water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs, Rotary’s people of action mobilize resources, form partnerships, and invest in infrastructure and training that yield long-term change.
At our meeting on Feb 23rd, Vicki Haberl introduced our guests Christine Strub & Kathy Wolfe, both volunteers with Squamish Search & Rescue.
Kathy gave a overview of SSAR's organisation, operations, training, and what happens during a call where a response is required.
Christine followed with an interactive talk about being prepared before and during an outdoor adventure to ensure we get home safely. She also talked about what to do if we are lost or injured and need to be rescued, including how to hunker down while waiting for help.
Our guest speaker on Thursday, Feb 9 was Courtney Smaha, who gave an interesting presentation about the the Marine Stewardship Initiative (MSI). The Initiative has created a centralized interactive map that pulls together information about Átl’ka7tsem/Howe Sound’s ocean and freshwater aquatic environment. The vision of MSI is to bring communities together to achieve net positive outcomes for current and future generations of life in Átl’ka7tsem/Howe Sound.
Squamish Rotary Club recently awarded grants to the Squamish Food Bank Society and the Squamish Seniors Centre Society.
The $10,000 grant to the Food Bank will provide support to families with young children who are struggling to make ends meet. The funds will go towards diapers, baby wipes, formula, and baby food.
The Seniors grant of $9,000 will contribute to the restoration of the Eaglewinds lawn bowling facility by replacing the grass with artificial turf. The bowling green has become derelict due to the high cost of maintenance.
Emma Cox and Abi Watson of the Squamish Food Bank Society received the grant from President Lynda Rocha.
Herbert Veseley on behalf on the Seniors Centre Society, accepted the donation from Kyla Paine, Community Service chair, and Ross Dickson, club Grant Committee.
Shaun Swerdfeger, Deputy Chief - Squamish Fire Rescue was our guest speaker today and gave a very interesting presentation about the organisation and all the amazing work these people do to keep our community safe.
Did you know that of the 985 calls in 2022, only 7% of the responses were for fires? Medical emergencies accounted for 31% of responses.
We had a full house for our weekly meeting at the Howe Sound Inn.
Our guests included the Mayor and three Councillors of the District of Squamish, which provided an opportunity to meet and chat with these recently elected members of the Council.
The program also included:
► an overview of recent club activities and projects.
► the presentation of project funding grants to several recipients:
Thursday Dec 15th was Squamish Community Christmas Care hamper delivery. Rotarians were among the many volunteers who delivered hampers of food and toys to about 400 families in Squamish.
Reverend Karen Millard commented to the Squamish Chief. "What I want to say is how much we appreciate the community for being so generous because all of what we give is costing more this year, This is a real community effort. Tons of volunteers, tons of donations. We can't do it without our community. We like to say one of our tag lines is community caring for community. And that's exactly what we experienced."
This year we partnered with the Rotary Club of Manila Supreme 198 in the Philippines to develop the Garden of Hope, This is a food sustainability project at the Centre of Hope, a refuge for girls rescued from the sex trade. It provides training and income for the girls, and food for the facility.
This is the second project that we have done at the Centre of Hope. The first was the establishment of a small chicken farm, again to provide training, and food and income for the girls.
At a private ceremony and celebration at his home, Randy Scott was presented with a Paul Harris Fellow Award for his 34 years of volunteer service as a coach for Special Olympics Alpine Skiing. Coaching took Randy all over the world, attending seven World Games. He was also named Special Olympics Coach of the Year by Special Olympics BC several years ago. Randy’s knowledge and empathetic approach to coaching was to be admired and now retired, he will be dearly missed by Special Olympics. He has also been a member of the Executive of Vancouver Ski Foundation for over 25 years.
Randy is the husband of Liz Scott, Past President (2007-8) of the Rotary Club of Squamish. They now live in a beautiful country location about 40km south of Kamloops.
A Paul Harris Fellow is one of the highest awards that a Rotary club can make to a person in recognition of their service in the community.
Kirsten (2nd from left) was inducted into our club at the meeting on Thursday, November 17, 2022. Her sponsor is Jessie Cameron.
Kirsten grew up in a small town in Ontario and completed her law degree at the University of Ottawa before moving to the West Coast. She initially made Whistler home and started her career as a litigation lawyer with Race & Company LLP in 2016. In 2020, Kirsten and her partner decided to make the move to Squamish and now live in the community of Ring Creek. She works as a Legal Counsel and Negotiator with the Health Employers Association of British Columbia in the Physician Services department. Outside of work, she enjoys all the amazing activities Squamish has to offer - mountain biking, kiteboarding, hiking, and the rest.
The annual Squamish Remembrance Day Royal Canadian Legion ceremony was held on Friday, Nov. 11, at the cenotaph in Stan Clarke Park, with a few Rotary members in attendance.
To mark World Polio Day, Rotarians were out to raise awareness about Rotary's campaign to eradicate polio forever. It is our number ONE humanitarian priority.
The recent emergence of the polio virus in New York, London, and Israel starkly demonstrates that if polio exists anywhere, it is a threat to people everywhere.
Rotary and our partners have made tremendous progress in our campaign to eradicate polio from the world forever. Polio cases have been reduced by 99.9% since 1985 and it is now endemic in only two countries. An estimated 20 million people are walking today who would otherwise have been paralyzed by polio.
But we can’t stop now. If we do, we could see 200,000 children per year contracting polio within ten years. To finish the job, we need continued support & funding until polio is finally eradicated.
It was great fun to be at the Pumpkin Patch in the Park on Saturday. Lots of families came out, many dressed up in their Halloween finest.
Rotarian volunteers helped out with unloading the pumpkins and setting up the pumpkin patch, hosting at the Rotary welcome tent and collecting donations, and feeding the visitors with hotdogs.
Pumpkin Patch in the Park returns on Saturday, October 22nd, 10am-2pm at Stan Clarke Park in Downtown Squamish.
From face painting to live music, Halloween crafts to a bake sale, spooky stories to a trick or treat, to a hot dog BBQ, there is something for everyone in your family to enjoy.
You can choose your Halloween pumpkin by donation.
Squamish Rivers Day was held at McNaughton Park with booths, displays, and activities. The event was sponsored by the Squamish River Watershed Society and was an opportunity to learn about and celebrate our local waterways.
We put on a BBQ serving hot dogs and hamburgers. Many thanks to Kyla Paine for organising the BBQ and for the volunteers who came out to set up and then to cook and serve the burgers.
Many thanks to all who participated in the Squamish Thanksgiving Food Drive last week.
We don't yet have the total amount of food donated but judging by the activity at Under One Roof on Saturday, Squamish has been very generous this year.
In the photo, Geraldine Guilfoyle, one of the event organizers, receives the donations collected at an apartment building by one Rotary volunteer.
When you buy smile cookies at a Tim Hortons restaurant in the Sea to Sky during September 19-25th, the proceeds will go to the Rotary Club of Squamish, the nominated beneficiary this year.
Every smile cookie that you buy means that we can do more good work in the community.
On Saturday, July 9th we celebrated the installation of President Lynda and her executive team for 2022-23. The formalities were performed by District Governor John Barry, supported by Assistant Governor S2S Liz Scroggins.
President Vicki highlighted some if the major events during a very successful year in 2021-22 and thanked everyone for their support.
In addition:
►Judy Fowler was made an Honorary Member of the club.
►Paul Harris Fellow awards were presented to Judy Fowler, Michael Kanka, Laurie Vanzella, Ann Gawley, Brian Finley, Nancy Edwards & Bob Fast.
►Lynda presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Michael Kanka who will soon be moving to Courtenay/Comox.
►Ross Dickson, a returning Rotarian, was welcomed as a new member of our club.
Michael Kanka took some great photos. You can view them HERE,
On Thursday June 23rd, the Rotary Club of Squamish presented Maureen Mackell with a Paul Harris Fellow award for her service to the Squamish community. Maureen has been the Executive Director of the Squamish Helping Hands Society since 2010 and is the inspiration and driving force for the development of the Under One Roof facility in downtown Squamish. Under One Roof is an integrated hub providing safe and secure food and shelter for homeless and at-risk communities and building pathways to independence for vulnerable people.
There are many non-Rotarians who share Rotary priorities for service to the community. While not members, they work to support our community and make it a better place to live so that no-one is left behind. One way in which the Club can recognize such individuals is by making them a Paul Harris Fellow - the highest award that a Rotary Club can bestow on members of the community.
The Paul Harris Fellow, named after one of Rotary’s founders, has been awarded to people from all around the world, including US President Jimmy Carter, UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar, polio vaccine developer Jonas Salk. and Mother Teresa.
The Rotary Club of Squamish has supported the new Foundry Sea to Sky with a donation of $30,000 for the Youth Hub.
On June 9th, we had a tour of the facility hosted by Sea to Sky Community Services. Although the construction is somewhat behind schedule, thanks to the presentation by SSCS staff and the tour, we were able to get a very good understanding of the facility and how it will serve the youth of our community.
The Foundry is located on the ground floor of the new 76-unit affordable housing complex on Buckley Avenue. The facility will be 5,000 square feet of newly built space for free youth counselling, mental health services, and primary care. Opening is planned for the fall 2022.
The Recycle Bicycle program was re-launched on June 4 by Squamish Helping Hands and the Rotary Club of Squamish with a Kids Bike Drive. Approximately 20 volunteers came out to collect, repair, and distribute bikes to kids and families in Squamish. Of the roughly 80 bikes donated, around 40 bikes went home with happy new owners, including several new Canadian families from Syria and Ukraine.
At the Rotary District 5040 Conference in Prince George over the weekend, the Rotary Club of Squamish received the award for the Outstanding Rotary Club during 2021-22 of the 48 clubs in the District.
We thank everyone for your hard work and support in helping us to make a difference.
This the second time since 2006-07 that we have received this prestigious recognition. The first was in 2007-08 under the Presidency of Liz Scott.
President Vicki Haberl (right) of Squamish Rotary presents the grant cheque to Constance Cope of Squamish CAN, and then they met up again at the School Farm.
Things are starting to happen at the Howe Sound School Farm next to the high school in Squamish.
Vegetables and plants are already beginning to grow in the new soil to be harvested later in the summer.
Today we had an update from Constance Cope, the School Farm Manager with Squamish CAN, on the background, vision, and implementation of this new venture.
Squamish Rotary awarded a grant of $8,000 to support the School Farm. The funds will be used to retrofit and equip the on-site container which will be used for storage and office space,
The Howe Sound School Farm project is a partnership between the Squamish Climate Action Network and the school. The 1,114-square-metre (12,000-square-foot) farm will include garden beds, a 30-metre (100-foot) greenhouse, a smaller seed-starting greenhouse, a SeaCan for storage and office space, a wash-up station and gathering space.
The Bike Safety Rodeo returned to the elementary schools this week after a 2-year hiatus.
Squamish Rotary and 5 schools organised the events with support from the local RCMP. During the rodeo the kids' bikes and helmets are checked, and then they are challenged to ride a straight line, a slalom course. a figure-8, and finally to safely cross a road.
On Monday evening, April 25, members of the Rotary Club of Squamish visited the Garibaldi Volunteer Fire Department (GVFD) at Black Tusk Village.
They presented the GVFD Society with a grant cheque of $6,000 for the purchase of a reconnaissance drone with a thermal imaging camera. It can be used to search less accessible places up to 10km, for wildfire assessment, identifying hotspots, and locating lost persons.
While there, they were invited to watch the fire team during their bi-weekly practice session. more photos: HERE.
On Saturday evening members and friends of the four Sea-to-Sky Rotary Clubs gathered in homes throughout the corridor and cooked a very tasty Asian inspired Risotto and chocolate cake under the directions of an online chef. All the fresh ingredients were sourced locally and the wine was from Fort Berens Estate. It was a really great event with lots of laughter and enjoyment with friends.
The proceeds of the FUNdraiser will support the new El Cardonal Children’s Home in Baja, Mexico. The home will provide temporary care for children whose primary caregiver(s) are unable to care for them due to a variety of unfortunate circumstances.
On April 1st 2022, Don Patrick marks 50 years of service as a member of the Rotary Club of Squamish. He was recognised at the weekly meeting with a certificate, a cake, and of course a bottle of wine!
Don joined the club on April 1st, 1972. He served as Club President in 1975-76 and has held most other executive positions, including Secretary, Treasurer, and Foundation Chair.
Don started the Club 200 lottery fundraiser and has been the chair for most of its 43 years, raising $10,000/year for the Squamish Community. In addition he has been the driving force of the Rotary Bike Safety Rodeos - an annual event in the Squamish Elementary Schools.
He started his career as a travelling mechanic for the PGE Railway. Then after graduating from university, as a systems engineer in the aircraft manufacturing industry. and later an insurance broker and business owner.
Don has also been very active in the Squamish community and was President of the Curling Club in the 1980s, and is a long time member of the Squamish Flying Club.
On April 2nd, let's have some fun - invite friends to join you for a dinner party in your home. Online Chef Marika Richoz will lead us through cooking a delicious meal (using local produce where possible) of an Asian-influenced Risotto followed by a flourless chocolate cake. Optionally, this can be accompanied by a wine pairing from Fort Berens Wines and bidding in the Silent Auction.
This is a joint major fundraiser of the Sea to Sky Rotary Clubs for the El Cardonal Children's Home in Baja Mexico (near Los Barriles).
All funds will go to equip a kitchen and laundry for the soon-to-be-built children’s home .
A site has been donated and plans have been drawn up, but much help is needed to construct the new facility and make it a reality for the children who inspired it.
In response to the deepening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, The Rotary Foundation has created an official channel for Rotary members around the world to contribute funds to support the relief efforts underway by Rotary districts.
Donations to the Disaster Response Fund can be used to provide relief to refugees or other victims of the crisis including items such as water, food, shelter, medicine and clothing.
If you would like to donate through this Rotary channel please READ MORE
TWO. That’s the number of polio cases reported so far this year around the world. From 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries in 1988 the two latest cases come from reports of one each in Afghanistan and Pakistan during January.
That was the positive message by Michael McGovern, Chair of the Rotary International's PolioPlus Committee when he spoke at our meeting today in advance of World Polio Day on October 24th.
Mike started his talk by thanking the Canadian Government and Canadian Rotarians for our support and commitment to the polio eradication campaign. Canada continues to be one of the foremost countries which have been steadfast contributors to the polio initiative.
He went on to describe the progress in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the last two countries where the wild polio virus is still circulating. With only 2 cases of wild polio infections confirmed in 2021, and fewer samples of the wild polio virus detected in the water and sewage, there is cautious optimism that with continued perseverance, now may be our opportunity to defeat the wild polio virus in its last strongholds.
We were at the Pumpkin Stall today at the Squamish Farmers' Market with Downtown Squamish BIA. Pumpkins were donated by Save-On-Foods, sold by donation, and all proceeds are going to Squamish Search and Rescue.
On September 30th, we welcomed 5 new members to the Rotary Club of Squamish.
During our meeting at the Squamish Golf Club, they were inducted by District Governor Lorne Calder and joined by their sponsoring Rotarian. We look forward to them joining us for our social, community and humanitarian activities.
On Saturday, September 18th, we once again put on the Rotary Beef BBQ at the Loggers Sports Festival. The festival, which normally takes place over the August long weekend, was cancelled in 2020 and postponed in 2021 due to the pandemic.
It was so much fun to be back again for this one day show and serving up your Rotary Beef on a Bun. Thank you to the 30+ Rotarians and friends who all volunteered to make it another successful event,
We are looking forward to seeing you again on the August 2022 long weekend.
On Thursday, September 9th, we gathered to celebrate 55 years since the founding of the Rotary Club of Squamish.
It was a beautiful evening and 36 Rotarians and guests enjoyed delicious food and drinks, sharing stories, and reminiscing about the innumerable projects that have had such positive impact on our community and the world.
We send a huge shout-out and thanks to Lynda Rocha, our party queen, who had obviously been missing the opportunity to plan and execute a great party over the past 18 months. She did so with her usual flare, and everyone had a great time! Thanks also to Ann, and Marianna, who also helped in the preparations.
The Rotary Club of Squamish was chartered on September 12th 1966, with 22 local business men including John Drenka, Dr Laverne Kindree, and Don Ross.
The first President was Bob Bishop, the first women were admitted in 1991, and the first woman President was Linda Carney in 1998.
The Rotary Club of Squamish recently made a donation to the Howe Sound Women's Centre for their facility on Third Avenue that is currently undergoing extensive renovations.
These funds were used to purchase equipment & furnishings for a children’s counselling room, including a couch, table, bookshelves, books, toys & games.
The "flatpack" furniture arrived this week and we have been busy assembling the pieces and getting them into their proper locations.
The centre should be back up and running in the near future.
At today's meeting, Linda Eastman, director of Casa Colibri, provided an update on the medical clinic in rural northwest Guatemala and how its staff and people have coped during the pandemic.
The Rotary Club of Squamish has supported this facility, its staff and volunteers for many years.
Casa Colibrí is a not-for-profit humanitarian organisation committed to helping the Mayan people of northwest Guatemala improve their lives through programs in health, education, and related infrastructure. The organisation was founded in 2006 and the Guatemalan clinic was officially opened in October 2008.
The installation of the solar panels has been completed at the New Creation Kids Home in La Paz, Baja, Mexico. The home serves as a refuge for children whose parents are unable to properly care for them for a variety of reasons, and helps to keep them safe, fed, schooled, and off the streets.
Squamish Rotary has donated funds to assist in the purchase and installation of the solar panels which provide a more reliable and economical electrical supply at the facility.
At 1:00pm on August 2nd 2021, almost 1000 rubber ducks tumbled out of a truck into the birling pond at the Loggers Sports grounds in Squamish, and the winning ducks were plucked from the pond.
1st prize of $5000 went to Jack Fowler who had duck #0444, shown in the photo being congratulated by Vicki Haberl, president of the Rotary Club of Squamish,
2nd prize, $2500, duck 0596, Debra Quercetti
3rd prize, $1500, duck 0728, Karin Chard
4th prize, $500, duck 0682, Linda Morris.
Close to $10,000 has been raised which will all go to support the new Squamish Youth Hub and the purchase of technology equipment, furnishings, a pool table, and recreational equipment.
The Foundry Sea to Sky will be 5,000 square feet of newly built space for youth counselling, mental health services, and primary care along with the integrated Youth Hub - a hang-out and recreational space that will be freely open to all youth.
Each year, Rotary helps us to go further, support more people, and access areas that would otherwise be impossible to reach. This past Rotary year we have been able to deliver aid to families recovering after disaster in India, Honduras, Philippines, Tanzania, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Ethiopia. The partnership between ShelterBox and Rotary is serving to change lives.
Your club's contribution has allowed us to improve the lives of families affected by disaster and conflict. Without your support these families would remain in over-crowded schools, evacuation centres or without a home to return to after disaster. But because of you, more families can begin to rebuild and recover.
Thank you again for sharing your kindness and passion for action.
Vicki Haberl was installed as President of the Rotary Club of Squamish for 2021-2022 along with her Executive team on July 25th at the Squamish Valley Golf Club.
The official part of the proceedings was conducted by Murray Wood, past Area Governor for the Sea to Sky.
We have limited funding available to support organisations who need funds for community projects. Grants may be awarded to projects that benefit the community of Squamish and possibly elsewhere in BC.
If you are a non-profit or charitable organisation who would like support for a project or activity, please refer to the tab on the top menu for guidelines and an application form.
On June 24, we had out final meeting of the year during which we reviewed the year that was - certainly a different year but we rose to the challenge thanks to all our members coming together.
The 'Duck in a Truck' Fundraiser is back! You could win $5000 cash plus 3 more cash prizes, The Rotary Club of Squamish will use the funds to support the new Squamish Youth Hub which is scheduled to open in Spring 2022. You can secure your lucky tickets by purchasing yours today for only $20 each +p&p.
The Rotary Club of Squamish is delighted to announce that Kanika Jhanji and Andrew Van Brummelen have been awarded the two Rotary scholarships for 2021.
The scholarships, each for $1,000, are awarded annually to graduating students of Howe Sound Secondary School to continue their education at a Canadian post-secondary institution.
We congratulate Kanika and Andrew and wish them success in their academic careers.
Rotary Scholarships awarded to Howe Sound Students.
In the glorious morning sunshine on June 1st, a group of Rotarians were at the Community Garden at Mamquam and Hwy99.
They were weeding and pruning and generally tidying up the section devoted to perennials as a butterfly and pollinator garden.
This Community Garden was originally developed around 1980 as a community project by the Rotary Club of Squamish. Squamish CAN has now taken over the management and administration. Garden plots are adopted by gardeners on an annual basis, with renewal each new year.
The Squamish Rotary Club is honoured to be able to support the After School Art Program put on by the Squamish Arts Council at Don Ross School. Our donated funds were used to purchase art-making equipment and supplies for watercolour, print making, and button making.
The After School Art Program is a new initiative that is developed to bring free-of-charge, high-quality arts education to Squamish Youth.
On Friday evening, Squamish Rotarians & friends had a virtual wine & cheese tasting in support of the Rotary Foundation.
In the afternoon, the tasting samples were delivered to our doors and then at 7pm sommelier Michael Kompass took us on a journey through Spain, New Zealand, France, & Argentina, with 7 wines & 4 cheeses with plenty of discussion, laughs & even some Wine Jeopardy.
Join us for this fun event - a virtual Wine & Cheese tasting in support of the Rotary Foundation.
Sommelier Michael Kompass will lead us in exploring some spring & summer seasonal wines geared toward refreshment, patio time, and barbeques. Current plans indicate we will be experiencing 2 whites, 2 rosés, and 3 reds.
What to expect during the event:
- Led by Michael, we will taste and discuss each wine one at a time
- 7 different wines to taste and explore, and pairings will be discussed.
- Great conversation, lots of fun & some exciting wine trivia!.
- There will be opportunities for discounted purchases of wines you enjoy.
If yes, RI President Holger Knaack has a proposition for you:-
"Because COVID vaccination is provided free of charge, vaccinated individuals are encouraged to donate the cost of what this vaccine would have cost – approximately $25 – to PolioPlus. This has a dual benefit: you are protected from COVID and contributing to the global response, and you are ensuring children are also protected against polio."
On April 24th, Squamish Rotarians were out in downtown Squamish picking up litter and rubbish. This was part of the annual Pitch-In week April 19-26. It is a great opportunity for residents, students, and community groups to get together and clean up our community.
PITCH-IN is the largest environmental improvement campaign in Canada. It is a partnership between municipalities, the media, industry and the public. In total, 1,000,000+ Canadians participated in the program annually cleaning up over 5 million pounds of litter.
We are partnering with other organizations to support the New Creation Kids Orphanage (Nueva Creaçion Niñas Albergue) in La Paz, Mexico.
New Creation Kids is a home for up to 30 children who are under legal guardianship in the home at any given time. Their parents are unable or unfit to take care of them for a myriad of reasons.
The current project we are supporting is the purchase and installation of solar panels.
Our guest at the meeting on Thursday April 8 was Dieter Schneider, a fellow Rotarian living in Würzburg, Germany. He shared his story of wanderlust after his son committed suicide due to depression. From 2015 to early 2020 he travelled over 120,000 kms around the world on his motorcycle, seeking adventure but also raising awareness of depression and advocating for suicide prevention. "You don't always have to search - sometimes, you should just let yourself be found."
The Rotary Foundation Trustees and Rotary International Board of Directors have both unanimously approved adding a new area of focus: Supporting the Environment.
Supporting the Environment becomes Rotary's seventh area of focus, which are categories of service activities supported by global grants. It joins peacebuilding and conflict prevention; disease prevention and treatment; water, sanitation, and hygiene; maternal and child health; basic education and literacy; and community economic development.
The Rotary Foundation will enable our members and their community allies to take action to help protect our planet.
The Rotary Club of Squamish has donated $2,000 to the Howe Sound Women's Centre for their facility on Third Avenue that is currently undergoing extensive renovations.
These funds will be used to purchase equipment & furnishings for a children’s counselling room, including a couch, bookshelves and books, and art supplies.
The $2000 donation from Squamish Rotary will be matched by the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation. These additional funds will enable HSWC to purchase an arts and crafts table, desk, toys, and games.
Squamish Rotary is a proud supporter of the 2021 Howe Sound Music Festival which runs from March 15-March 20.
About 100 students from Lions Bay to Darcy will be showcasing their talents at the festival which is being held at St. John the Divine Anglican Church.
The Festival posted this message of appreciation on their Facebook page:
"The Festival would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors and community.
Today, we’d like to thank one our biggest supporters and a Silver Sponsor this year - the Rotary Club of Squamish."
The grand piano being used during the festival was purchased in 1997 by the Howe Sound Performing Arts Association from Tom Lee Music in Vancouver.
The funds to purchase the piano included $23,000 from a joint HSPAA/Squamish Rotary fundraiser.
2020 Festival - Student Luna Kamata and adjudicator Yvette Rowledge | Courtesy SAM
Squamish Rotary Sponsors Howe Sound Music Festival
Are you a young adult interested in serving your community and developing your leadership skills?
You can join the Sea-to-Sky Rotaract Club and the global movement of young leaders who are developing innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.
Rotaract clubs bring together people ages 18 and older to exchange ideas with leaders in the community, develop leadership and professional skills, and have fun through service.
In communities worldwide, Rotary and Rotaract members work side by side to take action through service. From big cities to rural villages, Rotaract is changing communities around the world.
Just doing as our motto says.... Squamish Rotarians have been delivering hampers every Friday to households where residents are unable to go to the Food Bank in person.
On November 26, we had a joint meeting with our Sister Club in Manila, Philippines. In addition to meeting fellow Rotarians, we had a live video tour of the Center of Hope, a refuge for girls rescued from human and sex trafficking, where we have been funding projects to support the Center and the girls. The girls gave two wonderful singing and dancing performances to say thank you.
Together the four Sea to Sky clubs have raised $17,375 for PolioPlus ($15,635 online and $1,740 offline).
After the funds are tripled by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, this could purchase over 66,000 doses of the oral polo vaccine or 40,000 vaccine carriers to keep the polio vaccine cool during transport.
A wonderful event with the four clubs joining forces for a great cause.
Every Tuesday and Friday for the past 4 months during the pandemic, members of the Rotary Club of Squamish have been delivering Food Bank hampers to families in our community.
Hamper deliveries have now ended as the Food Bank transitions to the new Under One Roof facility at 3rd Avenue and Main in downtown Squamish. The Food Bank will operate in "THE MARKET" on the ground floor starting on September 1st.
A huge THANK YOU to all the volunteers who signed up and helped out. The Food Bank and Helping Hands are truly grateful.
The Sea to Sky Rotary Clubs are joining forces to raise funds to help END POLIO.
The polio eradication program has to get back on track when it is safe to do so and needs our help.
Hundreds of millions of children around the globe will have missed being vaccinated against polio and other diseases due to immunization campaigns being postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participants and teams can register on the link below and then pedal, run, or walk during August 29 - September 6. Sign up and get your supporters to donate so we can finish the job and END POLIO for good.
The Rotary Club of Squamish held our first in-person event since the start of the COVID pandemic. Today some of our members gathered for a picnic supper at the Rotary Pavilion in the Legacy Sports Park with each person bringing their own meal and beverage. Great opportunity to catch up with friends in a safe outdoor environment.
We welcome Abby Majendie, our newest member who joined us this week.
She arrived in Squamish in 2016 after 25 years living and working around the world. She is the Director of Advancement at Quest University and also serves on the Board of the Squamish Chamber of Commerce.
Abby is sponsored by Bianca Peters and was inducted by Membership Chair Lynda Rocha and President Dorothy van der Ree.
The Rotary Foundation Trustees and Rotary International Board of Directors have both unanimously approved adding a new area of focus: Supporting the Environment.
Supporting the environment becomes Rotary's seventh area of focus, which are categories of service activities supported by the Rotary Foundation and global grants. It joins:
The installation of incoming President Dorothy van der Ree and her executive team for 2020-21 was held on June 14, 2020. It was an online gathering via ZOOM and had a full program including bagpipes, an English Tea Party, a club video reviewing the past year, a thank you to Mark Goodwin our outgoing President, and a memorial tribute to Bill McNeney.
The installation ceremony was conducted by District Governor Elect Dave Hamilton.
The Rotary Club of Squamish is delighted to announce that Jon Gill and Ellie Tiliakou have been awarded the two Rotary scholarships for 2020.
The scholarships, each for $1,000, are awarded annually to graduating students of Howe Sound Secondary School to continue their education at a Canadian post-secondary institution. The criteria for the award include community service participation, and satisfactory academic achievement. Active involvement in the school's Interact Club is considered an asset.
We congratulate Jon and Ellie and wish them success in their academic careers.
Squamish Rotarians have been busy again and recently prepared and delivered 2,000 packets of toiletries to organisations in Squamish and the Sea to Sky corridor including Squamish Helping Hands, Howe Sound Women's Centre, Whistler Community Services, and Pemberton Food Bank.
Volunteers safely got together for several work parties to make up the individual packets of shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, shower gel, and bar soap.
The project was coordinated by Liz Scott with the supplies generously donated by Hunter Amenities in Ontario.
Rotarians Deliver Personal Care Packets in Our Communities
In a new music video montage, the Sea-to Sky community including renowned local artists, musicians and members from Whistler, Squamish and Pemberton have teamed up to record how we are coming together during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Three years ago the Rotary Club of Squamish introduced a new community Valentines event to Squamish – Rotary Hearts; a Celebration of Love. Now these Hearts have a new lease on life. Rotarians have been busy refurbishing them with new messages of hope, encouragement and thanks.
Over 50 hearts have all found new homes along some popular local trails:- Estuary/Swan Trail, Smoke Bluffs, Jack's Trail, Golf Course/Spawning Channels, Ray Peters Trail, and Loggers Creek Nature Trail.
We hope you enjoy your walk or ride and take joy from the messages of inspiration.
On April 26, in recognition of World Immunization Week and Rotary's global campaign to eradicate polio, BC Place, Telus Science World, and Vancouver City Hall were illuminated in Rotary colours.
Squamish Rotary is partnering with Helping Hands to deliver hampers from the Food Bank to families in Squamish. We will be doing this every Tuesday and Friday until the Food Bank transitions to the new Under One Roof facility in downtown Squamish.
Instead of going to the food bank location, starting April 20, 2020, FREE weekly Food Hampers will be delivered to those in need by community volunteers. Hampers will contain both perishable and non-perishable food items and supplies.
As a precaution against the spread of the CORVID-19 virus, the Rotary Club of Squamish is holding its weekly club meetings on Thursdays at noon, on ZOOM, until further notice. To join the weekly meeting as a member or guest, please email meetings@squamishrotary.com. When conditions improve to allow the safe gathering of our members and guests, we will announce the return of our weekly in person club meetings at the Howe Sound Brew Pub.
While we wait for a COVID-19 vaccine, Rotary thanks our community workers and celebrates World Immunization Week 24-30 April.
Immunization saves millions of lives every year and is widely recognized as one of the world’s most successful and cost-effective health interventions. Please keep your families to their regular vaccination schedule.
Thank you frontline workers and essential businesses & services.
Swing Set 2016 New Table & Bench South end New Table & Bench North end
In 2016 the local community started a project to improve the Willow Park playground. Phase 1 included improved landscaping, the installation of a new large climbing apparatus, and our club funded a new swing set. The project then stalled when the lead person moved away but we still had funds allocated to the project. Late in 2019, a new community leader stepped up and we funded the purchase of two picnic tables and two benches which this week have been installed by the District parks department. Our part of the project is now COMPLETE having provided $7,250 in funding
With generous donations from our community, the Squamish Hospital Foundation has purchased a new Glidescope for use at Squamish General Hospital. The Glidescope will be an important tool for our healthcare teams in our fight against Covid-19. The Glidescope assists in difficult airway management facilitating for smoother intubation yet allowing the healthcare teams to visualize the airway with greater physical distancing than traditional intubation techniques, thus providing some protection for our frontline healthcare workers. Once our community has made it through this current crisis, the Glidescope will be of continued use in emergency situations requiring intubation.
The Squamish Hospital Foundation would like to specifically thank 100 Women Who Care Squamish, Rotary Club of Squamish, and the Squamish General Hospital Auxiliary Society for their quick contributions to the purchase of the Glidescope in these difficult times.
Community DONATIONS make PURCHASE possible for Squamish General Hospital
In response to the COVID-19 corona virus pandemic, Squamish Helping Hands and the Squamish Food Bank are preparing for an unprecedented demand in those experiencing food insecurity in Squamish.
The Whistler Blackcomb Foundation has committed to match any donations to the Squamish Food Bank/Squamish Helping Hands up to $15,000. A CanadaHelps fund has been set up to collect your donations and all funds raised will be shared by Squamish Food and Squamish Helping Hands as we work together to ensure the food needs of community members are met.
Our community needs your support- please give generously and will will get through this together. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
The Rotary Club of Squamish has suspended our weekly meetings until at least the end of April due to the continuing corona virus pandemic.
This decision has not been taken lightly. With the guidance from Rotary International and our local health authorities we want to do all we can to protect our members and our wider community.
We hope that by implementing such 'social distancing' and other personal strategies, the spread of the virus will be interrupted, and normal life can resume soon.
For current local information and updates please visit the squamish/covid19 webpage.
We are very grateful to the Rotary Club of Squamish, for drafting Taylor Mitchell from Whistler at the recent National Games. During the Games, held in Thunder Bay, Ont. from Feb. 25 to 29, the 29-year-old alpine skier earned bronze in the advanced giant slalom before taking fourth in the advanced slalom and the advanced super-G. On earning a medal in his first trip, Mitchell said it felt "cool" to stand on the podium with athletes from Quebec and Ontario. For many Special Olympics Team BC 2020 athletes, competing at National Games in Thunder Bay was an empowering, life-changing experience. Thank you for your donation to Special Olympics BC.
Today was the Grand Final draw of the 43rd Squamish Rotary Club 200 lottery fundraiser. The four winners were:-
$200 - Ticket #147, Skai Edwards sold by Nancy Edwards.
$1000 - Ticket #80, Audrey Fraser sold by Bob Fast.
$1000 - Ticket #191, Marilyn Caldwell sold by Kevin/Vicky Haberl.
$2000 - Ticket # 158, Jack Fowler, sold by Judy Fowler.
Don Patrick was recognised with a thank you and cake for organising and running this event for all its 43-year history. Each year the lottery raises $10,000 for causes and organisations in the Squamish Community.
Carlos Zavarce (2nd from left) is our newest member of the Rotary Club of Squamish. He is the Development Manager with Mathews West Ltd and actively involved in the Squamish Oceanfront project. Carlos is sponsored by Kathleen van der Ree.
Toastmasters and Rotary partner to help members with personal development and make a difference in their communities.
Rotary International and Toastmasters International have formed an alliance and are working together to provide members of both organisations with more opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Members of both Toastmasters and Rotary will enhance their skills, broaden their networks and increase their positive impact in communities through the new collaboration.
This year's club Christmas party was held at the home of Rose & Bob Fast on Dec 19th. Organised by Lynda Rocha, Vicki Haberl, & team, it was a fun festive evening for sure. photos by Michael Kanka.
Our guest speaker this week was Ashley Oakes, Executive Director of the Howe Sound Women's Centre. Ashley gave a brief history of the HSWC since it opened in 1981, an overview of the amazing work they are doing in supporting our community, and the plans they have to enhance the programs over the next 5 years. Learn more at www.hswc.ca.
photo: Ashley (centre) receives a token of appreciation from Vicki Haberl and Mark Goodwin.
On Feb. 21, the New Generation Artistic director, Daniel Wnukowski will perform for the public at the Anglican church in Squamish and conduct a private workshop to local piano students. Wnukowski is an accomplished Polish-Canadian pianist who has performed at Carnegie Hall and works with various orchestras performing throughout Europe, North America, South America and Asia.
In 1997, the highly esteemed pianist and original program founder Janina Fialkowska teamed up with the Howe Sound Performing Arts Association and the Rotary Club of Squamish to host a fundraising gala that raised $23,000 toward a $46,000 grand piano.
Our guests today were Nicole Carothers and Dr Judith Fothergill from the Squamish Hospice Society. Judith gave us an update on the new Sea to Sky Community Hospice* while Nicole gave an overview of the expanding Hospice programming. These are two people making a real difference in our community. Judith was also presented with Rotary's Paul Harris Fellow recognition for her outstanding contributions and exemplifying the highest ideal in Rotary in placing “SERVICE ABOVE SELF”.
*The four Rotary clubs in the Sea to Sky corridor donated $100,000 towards the new Sea to Sly Community Hospice.
Dr Lori Broker gave us an update on the Squamish Schools Breakfast Program at our meeting today. Lori has been the driving force behind the Breakfast Program for years. From baking muffins in the beginning, it has now grown to serve a nutritious breakfast to over 100 kids per day, 5 days a week in 7 Squamish schools. Our club is proud to be a major supporter of the Breakfast Program, both financially and with volunteers.
We are delighted to welcome Erik Hansen as the newest member of the Rotary Club of Squamish. He is the proprietor of Good 2 Go Tirecraft - a full service, repair, & tire auto centre in Squamish. Erik received the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award at the Squamish Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards In May 2019. L to R: Tyler Ovington - Erik's sponsor, Erik Hansen, Lynda Rocha - membership chair, Mark Goodwin - president.
We were out and about this weekend to raise awareness and ask Squamish folks to help us to End Polio.. We raised C$2,041 - funds to buy the vaccine to immunise about 2600 children.
World Polio Day is an opportunity for us to celebrate the progress we have made and to rally the world around the fight to eradicate polio forever. Since 1988 polio cases have dropped from 1000 per day in 125 countries to fewer than 100 per year in just 2 countries - Pakistan & Afghanistan.
We are closer than ever to ending polio but we need your help. All donations are matched 2 to 1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, You can donate at www.endpolio.org.
The District of Squamish has proclaimed October 24th as World Polio Day in the District. Rotarians will be in the community on October 26th *& 27th with information about the polio campaign and the opportunity to donate.
There was a huge crowd at Stan Clarke Park in Downtown Squamish on Oct 19th as families came out to enjoy the 4th annual Pumpkin Patch in the Park. This commumity event was organized by the Downtown Squamish BIA and supported by Save-on-Foods who supplied the pumpkins. Ellis Moving & Storage provided the transport, and Rotary Club of Squamish volunteers ran the events and games.
500 pumpkins were in the patch and available for picking by donation. All were "sold" with the proceeds going to Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue - Squamish.
On Saturday, October 19 from 10 am- 2 pm, Stan Clarke Park will be transformed into a pumpkin patch ripe for the picking!
Pumpkins will be sold for a minimum donation of $5 with funds from sales going directly to Royal Canadian Marine Search & Rescue. Come pick a pumpkin and take part in kids' pumpkin games, munch on yummy treats, listen to music and get your face painted in a spooktacular design.
Alexis Tone from Howe Sound Secondary spent a year in Brazil as our Rotary Youth Exchange Student. She shared her experience at our regular club meeting today. Some of the things that made it an amazing year included:- learning a new culture and a new language, making new friends, hugging a sloth in the Amazon, swimming with dolphins, attending school, living with Brazilian families A life changing experience - that is for sure!
Rotary Youth Exchange is a study-abroad opportunity for young people to spend anywhere from a few weeks to a full year as an international student hosted by local Rotary clubs. By sharing your own culture & embracing a new one, you help foster global understanding - & learn a great deal about yourself & your country in the process.
Even on a rainy, wet Sunday, we had great fun at the Squamish Rivers Day in McNaughton Park - meeting everyone while serving up veggie burgers and hot dogs.
The Squamish River Watershed Society says "Thank you so much for helping make Squamish Rivers Day such a huge success! Until next year...".
On Saturday, we were at the Brackendale Fall Fair with a Rotary booth and the Duck Race Game.
It was "Go-Go-Go" all day at the Duck races and with the "count the candy" contest and the flower draw, it was a busy day. Many thanks to Kate and Lynda for organising and to all who came out to help.
It is with deep sadness that we announce that our friend and fellow Rotarian, Bill McNeney, passed away peacefully on August 26th. Bill was an active member of Squamish Rotary for over 42 years and served as President in 1984-85. His leadership and contributions to our club and community are huge. He set an example for us all and he will be sorely missed. Our condolences to his wife Pauline, his family, and his many friends.
The Celebration of Life will be held on September 29th,, 12:00noon, at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park.
We started at 5:00am on Saturday August 3rd with loads of alder firewood, 1600 pounds of Canada Grade AAA beef, 250 dozen brioche buns, 150 pounds of onions, liters of horseradish and other condiments.
By 4:00pm on Sunday, we had served up nearly 3000 famous "Rotary Beef on a Bun" sandwiches to hungry patrons.
We hoped everyone had fun and enjoyed your meal. We certainly had fun serving you.
We had a great time participating in Canada Day 2019 - joining the parade and having a booth promoting Rotary and the "Duck in a Truck" lottery fundraiser.
On June 12th, 2019 at the Squamish Valley Golf Club, the new Board and Executive of the Rotary Club of Squamish for 2019-20 was installed. President Mark Goodwin and his team will take office on July 1st 2019. Don Patrick controlled the event as the MC, while Murray Wood, Area Governor handled the formalities.
On May 21st, Denise Rittberg of the Rotary Club of Squamish (Youth Services committee) presented the two annual Rotary scholarships to students during the Howe Sound Secondary Scholarship Night. Denise is pictured with the recipients - Callum MacDonald (left), and Sukhdeep Sidhu (right).
The Rotary Scholarships recognize the students’ achievements in service in the community through extensive volunteer work, along with earning excellent academic achievement.
"We would like to thank the Rotary Club of Squamish for contributing the Rotary Club of Squamish Scholarships to the students of Howe Sound Secondary School. This generosity will help our young people pursue their desired careers, and in some cases make the difference in their ability to continue on to post-secondary education." HSSS Staff
On May 21-23, 2019, Squamish Rotarians with help from school staff, held the annual Bike Safety Rodeo at 5 elementary schools. Students from kindergarten to grade 7 had their bikes checked, went through a series of skill challenges, and learned how to safely cross a road intersection. This is an annual event helping kids to be aware and ride more safely.
Today the four Sea-to-Sky Rotary clubs; Squamish, Whistler, Whistler Millennium and Pemberton, proudly presented a cheque for $100,000 to the Squamish Hospice Society for the new Sea to Sky Community Hospice facility.. In recognition, one of the hospice rooms will be named the Rotary Room.
Accepting the presentation from the Rotary representatives, on the right, are Dr Judith Fothergill, and Mark MacKenzie from the Squamish Hospice Society.
In the background is the new Hospice facility under construction, which is planned to open within a few months.
Squamish Rotary joined others to take part in Pitch-In Week, Canada's largest environmental improvement campaign. Pitch-In Week is a great opportunity for residents, students, and community groups to get together and clean up our community..
We cleaned up the area between Save-on-Foods and the railway tracks, and the trails near the elementary and high schools.
In advance of Earth Day, we visited GFL Environmental and had a tour of the recycling facility. Hosts Denise Imbeau and Michael Baylis explained what happens to the contents of our curbside recycle tote. There are things we can do to improve our recycling and reduce contamination such as rinsing containers and removing the lids. Also glass, styrofoam, plastic bags and overwrap/film are not part of the curbside recycling program. These can be taken to the GFL facility.
Loading the container in Coquitlam. Container arrives in Chile.
The 15,000 residents of Pozo Almonte, a small community in northern Chile, are most grateful for a shipping container loaded with 284 items of needed medical and dental equipment and supplies. It was sent from Vancouver by Rotary World Help (RWH) in February. RWH is a non-religious, non-political charity run by 45 Rotary clubs mainly in BC.
This container was the 395th shipped to 62 countries on five continents since RWH was founded in 1993.. This brings the estimated total of people helped to almost 12 million around the world, at a total estimated value of goods shipped of $138 million.
Earlier this year, Rotary clubs in General Santos, the southernmost city in the Philippines on the island of Mindanao, received medical and dental equipment, plus books and student desks for needy communities in the region,
The Rotary Club of Whistler hosted its annual ski day on April 2nd. This year it was a scavenger hunt on Whistler Mountain from 10:00 to 2:30. There were 30 items - landmarks, carvings, people - that we had to find and take a group photos. 6 teams and about 40 skiers participated.. Apres at Blacks Pub afterwards. Prizes were awarded for costumes and total number of items correctly identified.. Great fun by all!
The Interact Club of Howe Sound Secondary held its Global Awareness Dinner on March 14. This year the event was in support of Shelterbox, the organization that provides emergency disaster relief to families around the world who have been made homeless by natural disaster and conflict.
The evening included a delicious 3-couse meal, silent auction, and a presentation about Shelterbox by Rotarian Chris Loat.
On behalf of Rotary International President (2017-18) Ian Riseley, District 5040 Governor (2017-18) Don Evans presented the Rotary Citation to the club on March 7th, 2019 for developing sustainable service projects, building awareness of Rotary in the community, growing membership and giving to the international Rotary Foundation during 2017-18.
Squamish Rotary was also recognized for its financial contribution to the campaign to End Polio Now.
In the photo L to R:: Don Evans, District Governor 2017-18; Judy McQuinn, Club President 2017-18: Liz Scott, Assistant Governor 2017-18: Kathleen van der Ree, Club President 2018-19; Brian Finley PolioPlus Chair.
On March 7th, Don Patrick drew the four lucky winners of the Club 200 Lottery final draw for the 42nd (2018-2019) series:
#122 for $200 went to Basil Milne.
#4 for $1,000 went to Tonny Mortensen.
#131 for $1,000 went to Tom Maleseski.
and the major prize of $2,000 went to #39 Jim Harvey.
Each year the Rotary Club 200 lottery raises $10,000 which goes to support organizations in the Squamish Community that need a little help for their causes.
Club member Liz Scott is off to the Philippines with other Rotarians on a 3-week Rotary Friendship Exchange to District 3810.
They arrive in Manila and in addition to visiting several Rotary clubs, and various cultural and tourist destinations, they will assist the Caring Hearts Dentistry Society by distributing food and dental/hygiene kits on three occasions. Several dental offices in Squamish, including Drs. Laurie and Lino Vanzella, donated toothbrushes, toothpaste, and dental products that they are taking with them.
During the exchange, the visitors are home hosted by local Rotarians.
Liz Scott Joins the Rotary Friendship Exchange to the Philippines
"Whenever I go doing my work in Africa, The Rotarians have been there before me. It Is very humbling thing to discover just exactly what "Service Above Self" adds up to when you see it in practice in the field" ~ Bono
For every $1 Rotary receives in donations from our members and friends towards Polio eradication the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gives Rotary $2 to spend in ridding the world of polio. Thanks to the generosity of Rotarians and others over the past year the Gates Foundation transferred $100 million to Rotary for its End Polio Now campaign. Thank you to all Rotarians near and far and to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Gates Foundation gives $100 million to fight polio.
Welcome Tyler Ovington! Tyler is a property developer and the newest member of the Rotary Club of Squamish. He is sponsored by Bob Fast and was inducted at our meeting on December 13th.
Bryan Couture was made a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Club of Squamish. The award recognises Bryan's contributions to the Squamish Community over many years and especially for his leadership of our signature event - the Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival. We all thank you Bryan.
The presentation was made by Don Patrick, club Foundation Chair.
At the Rotary Club meeting on October 25th, Maureen Mackell (left) of the Squamish Helping Hands Society was presented with a cheque for $3,010, the funds raised at the Pumpkin Patch in the Park event on October 20th. Doing the presentation was Mike Young (Vice President) and Anne Kadwell (Executive Director) of the Downtown BIA, and Inis LeBlanc (right) of the Rotary Club of Squamish.
"From all of us here at Helping Hands we cannot thank you enough for your generous donation of $3,010.00. Thank you for supporting us and the work we do. We owe you a debt of gratitude." - Maureen Mackell.
Great fun was had by all at the "Pumpkin Patch in the Park" - pumpkins, games, treats, and more.
All donations are going to the Squamish Helping Hands Society and the Under One Roof project to support the homeless and less fortunate in our community.
The Rotary Club of Squamish was a sponsor of the event along with Save-on-Foods .and the Downtown Business Association.
The District of Squamish has proclaimed World Polio Day on October 24th and encourages all citizens to join the Rotary Club in the fight for a polio-free world.
After launching the global campaign to rid the world of polio 30 years ago, Rotary International has been on the forefront of governments, foundations and global health organizations, in reducing the number of cases worldwide from 350,000 in 1988 to 22 in 2017, sparing millions of children over that time from this paralyzing and deadly disease.
But there is still much more work to do to finally reach our goal of of a polio-free world.
On October 24th, the "End Polio Now" flag will fly over Municipal Hall and the Rotary Club will have polio booths at Save-on-Foods in the Chieftain Mall and at Black Tusk Realty in Garibaldi Village, providing information and the opportunity to give donations. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will triple all donations.
On a rainy Thursday afternoon a group of Squamish Rotarians collected 550 lbs of apples from a HUGE tree to remove attractants and make the area "Bear Safe".
The apples went to Northyards Cider Company to make a "Squamish Special" cider which should be ready about January.
September 23rd:
We were serving up burgers & hot dogs at Squamish Rivers Day 2018.
The Rotary Club of Squamish fundraiser in support of the Sea to Sky Community Hospice raised $30.000 for this new facility.. The four-room Community Hospice will be located between Hilltop House and Squamish General Hospital and will welcome Sea to Sky Corridor residents from all backgrounds, faiths, and income levels. Construction is due to begin in 2019. Winners below....
On August 4&5 , 2018, we held another successful Rotary Beef BBQ during the Squamish Days/Loggers Sports Festival. We've been doing this for over 50 years and it is always a crowd favourite.
1600 lbs of prime Canadian beef is slow roasted over an alder fire, The Rotary Beef on a Bun is then served on a brioche bun with fried onions and condiments. Sooo GOOD!
Over 3000 sandwiches were served up over the weekend with all proceeds going towards projects in our community.
We will again be at the Squamish Street Market on Sunday, July 15th, manning our "Duck in a Truck" lottery tickets sales table, running the Rubber Duck Race, selling stuffies for charity, at the Market welcome table, and assisting with traffic.
The Rotary Club of Squamish participated in the celebration of Canada Day in Downtown Squamish.
We joined the parade, had a "rubber duck race" for the kids, sold lottery tickets in support of the Sea-to-Sky Community Hospice, and also sold stuffies for charity.
At the club meeting on June 28th, the Rotary Club of Squamish distributed $15,000 in gaming grant funds to local community organizations.
This year’s awards went to: Junior Olympic Archery Program; Sea-to-Sky Nordics Biathlon Bears; Squamish Skating Club; Squamish Schools Breakfast Program; Big Brothers/Big Sisters Teen Mentoring Program, Seniors Friday Dinners; Squamish Youth Centre; Pathways Mental Illness Society; Camp Summit; and Rotary Youth Programs.
Presenting the cheques were President Judy McQuinn and Assistant Governor (Sea to Sky) Liz Scott.
The Rotary Club of Squamish has applied for and received provincial gaming grant funds for the past 12 years and has distributed $190,000 to community programs.
Rotary Club of Squamish Distributes $15,000 to Local Organisations
Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, was presented with Rotary’s Polio Eradication Champion Award in recognition of Canada’s contributions to polio eradication. Trudeau accepted the award at the Rotary International Convention in Toronto from RI President Ian H.S. Riseley and International Polio Plus Committee Chairman Michael McGovern.
You can watch the video of PM Trudeau's address to the RI Convention HERE.
Kathleen van der Ree was installed as President of the Rotary Club of Squamish for 2018-19, along with her executive team at a Hawaiin-themed evening at the soon to open Northyards Cider Co. Assistant Governor Liz Scott conducted the formalities while Doug Race performed as MC. It was a great evening of fun, friendship and good food.
On a beautiful sunny Sunday, Rotarians were “pitching-in” to help give our community a spring cleaning by removing garbage and litter from urban, rural and wilderness areas. Pitch-In Week, Canada’s largest environmental improvement campaign, runs from April 22-29, 2018.
Squamish athlete Alex Cairns has been chosen to join Canada’s para-alpine ski team at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang. He’s expected to be competing in the giant slalom and slalom events. In 2013, the Rotary Club of Squamish helped to fund a sit-ski for Alex. Just look at him now.
In lieu of our regular meeting, Squamish Rotarians enjoyed a social evening and a traditional Japanese meal at the Oryzea Japanese restaurant in downtown Squamish.
At the conclusion of the Rotary Peacebuilding Conference in Vancouver, Rotary International President Ian Riseley planted a Ginkgo tree in the VanDusen Garden. This tree is a descendant of a ginkgo tree that survived the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 - a message of peace and hope for a nuclear-free world.
2017 saw significant progress in our campaign to eradicate polio from the world forever. We saw the fewest cases in history caused by the wild polio virus, Only 22 cases were confirmed worldwide in only two countries - Pakistan with 8, and Afghanistan with 14.
2018 will be a critical year for the polio eradication programme, and we will be strengthening efforts to reach all the vulnerable children and to find the places that the polio virus still lurks in the environment.
Polio Eradication remains Rotary's number one humanitarian priority, You can read the latest Polio Newsletter HERE.
At our meeting on February 1st, Rotary member Max Saenger described what it takes to prepare a venue for the Olympic Biathlon. Max is the Course Technical Expert for the Biathlon at the upcoming PyeongChang Winter Olympics. He was also the Venue Director for the biathlon at the 2010 Olympics in Whistler.
At the same meeting, the Squamish Rotary club received a cheque for $10,000 as a District Grant from the Rotary Foundation. This will go towards the new Squamish Hospice facility.
Rotarian Max Saenger is off to the PyeongChang Olympics
We were delighted to have Krystle tenBrink and Michalina Hunter from Squamish CAN as our speakers today. They updated us on their activities and specifically about the Mamquam Edible Schoolyard Project (MESY). This wonderful project is now starting phase 2. See http://squamishcan.net/mesy/.
Make your own Christmas Centrepiece or Swag. Rotary Club of Squamish in support of Squamish Hospice Society. Sunday, December 17, 1:00pm. Greg Gardner GM, 40310 Government Road. RSVP to lyndarocha@live.com or text 250-639-6054.
Bring your favourite centrepiece container (some available for a fee).
All greenery, ribbons, ornaments, and tools supplied.
Hot beverages and sweets.
Santa’s elves around to assist.
Ready-made centrepieces available for purchase.
$20 minimum donation.
All proceeds will go to the new Squamish Hospice Palliative Care Centre.
Christmas Fundraiser to support the Hospice Society
Our speakers this week were Judith Knapp and Wolfgang Pauli from the Eagle Watch Program. They gave a fascinating presentation on the bald eagles that come to the Squamish River every winter to feed on the spawning salmon. The program does an amazing job promoting eagle tourism, and environmental sustainability. Like many volunteer organisations, they are short of resources. If you would like to help by sponsoring the Eagle Watch Program, contact Judith Knapp.
Sachi Komura Rummmel was our guest at our recent meeting and shared her story. She was eight years old and living with her family in Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945 when the atomic bomb “Little Boy” was dropped. Her father, aunt, and later mother died as a result. She is now an advocate for peace. You can watch a short youtube video HERE.
At our meeting on October 26th, we presented donations to support three organisations in Squamish.
The Squamish Skating Club for its Annual Christmas Show. More information atsquamishskatingclub.ca.
Cutting Barriers provides culinary training for individuals with barriers to employment. It is partnering with the Squamish Helping Hands Society and the Squamish Food Bank in the planned Under One Roof facility. More information at cuttingbarriers.org.
The Squamish Youth Resource Centre for equipment for its media room.
The Youth Centre provides Squamish youth with a safe place to drop in and hang out, daily activities, advocacy & support, someone to talk to confidentially. More information at squamishyouthcentre.
We are so close to achieving a polio-free world. For over 30 years Rotary and our partners have been leading the campaign to eradicate this terrible disease. Since 1985, the number of cases has dropped from 350,000 per year to less than 40 in 2016, and only 12 so far this year - in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Learn more at www.endpolio.org.
Squamish Rotary was a major sponsor of the annual Pumpkin Patch. The pumpkins were donated by Save-on-Foods and Rotarians & Interactors set up and ran the patch. Visitors could buy their pumpkins and join in games & activities. The proceeds go to Community Christmas Cares.
Jada Hurford from Howe Sound Secondary will be in Belgium for a year-long exchange. We welcome Charles Deome from Belgium as our in-bound exchange student.
Rotary Youth Exchange is a study-abroad opportunity for young people who spend anywhere from a few weeks to a full year as an international student hosted by local Rotary clubs.
An exchange is the opportunity of a lifetime for the more than 8,000 students who participate each year. By sharing your own culture & embracing a new one, you help foster global understanding—& learn a great deal about yourself & your country in the process. For more information click HERE.
Once again, we will be serving up the world famous Rotary Beef-on-a-Bun during the Logger Sports show on Saturday & Sunday, August 5th & 6th.
The Rotary Beef BBQ has been a tradition at Loggers Sports for over 50 years. Canada AAA beef is slowly roasted over a bed of alders and served on a brioche bun with fried onions. Serving starts at 12 noon. It is always a crowd favourite - soooo good!!
The Rotary Beef BBQ at Squamish Days/Loggers Sports
Jada Hurford from Howe Sound Secondary was presented with her blazer today by Denise Rittberg, Youth Services Chair. Jada is heading off in mid-August for a year's adventure as a Rotary Youth Exchange student, She is going to the Wallonia (french-speaking) part of Belgium - new culture, new language, new friends, new experiences! We wish you a great time Jada.
THIS FUND FOR THE 2017 BC WILDFIRES IS NOW CLOSED -
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
Rotary District 5040 is pleased to announce that the Rotary BC Wildfire Recovery Fund is now established and accepting donations. These funds will be made available to Rotary clubs for restoration projects for the victims of the wildfires currently burning in the Cariboo region of the British Columbia.
Once the situation with the fires has ended, a Rotary team will work with the local clubs to allocate funds to Rotary projects in the affected areas to assist with the recovery and rebuild in their communities.
Judy McQuinn is the new President of the Rotary Club of Squamish for 2017-18. We are looking forward to another great year with Judy and her Executive team (listed on the right), serving our communities locally and around the world.
The Rotary Club of Squamish is proud to support Ride Away Stigma, and the work to raise awareness about mental health and provide support for those with mental health issues.
$20,000 was raised at this year's event which will go to Sea to Sky Community Services to support mental heath programs in the corridor.
At our meeting today, Squamish Rotary distributed $20,000 in Gaming Grants to community organisations in support of their programs. The focus was on Youth, Seniors, Health, and Safety programs.
On May 9 & 10, 2017, Squamish Rotarians with help from school staff, held the annual Bike Safety Rodeo at 5 elementary schools. Students from kindergarten to grade 7 had their bikes checked, went through a series of skill challenges, and learned how to safely cross a road intersection. MORE
On March 14th 2017, the four Sea to Sky clubs convened on Whistler Mountain for Fresh Tracks breakfast and a morning of group skiing. Then we reconvened in Black's Pub for appies and fellowship as well as for some prize giving. More photos HERE.
Rotary Hearts are SOLD OUTfor 2017...orders for the 2018 'Rotary Hearts in Downtown Squamish' will begin around mid-January 2018. In the meantime, check out all the wonderful messages of love in shop windows all along Cleveland Avenue! And while you there, when you shop in any of the stores that are showcasing a Rotary Heart, put your name into our draw for a Valentine Basket which is valued at $500. Draw will take place on February 14th.
Our annual Christmas party was held at the home of Ann & Owen Carney. In keeping with the theme "Christmas in the Quebec countryside", G-Van Catering served up a French Canadian menu including Tourtiere, beans, and sugar pudding. Thanks to Rose Fast for organizing the evening and all the games and prizes. It was a great evening of fun and fellowship.
Squamish Rotarians joined other volunteers to deliver Community Christmas Cares hampers to the less fortunate in our community. When all the hampers were delivered, we met at the Shady Tree for lunch.
District Governor Lyn Stroshin visited our club on Dec 8th. She shared a cake celebrating the 100th year of the Rotary Foundation. presented Paul Harris Fellow awards, and gave an inspiring talk on the work of Rotary and what Rotary means to her.
Jeanette Levett, Clint Levett, and Chris Humphrey received Paul Harris Fellow awards for their support of the club with upgrades at the Beef BBQ hut. Lloyd Ingraham was presented with his PHF+4 recognition for his support of the Rotary Foundation. Garry Shearer (L) and Don Patrick (R) did the honours.
At our meeting this week, member Lynda Rocha talked about her vocation as an event planner. Do you need help in planning a wedding or other event? Contact Lynda.
At the Remembrance Day ceremony on November 11th, Ryoma Mori, our youth exchange student from Japan, laid the Rotary wreath at the cenotaph in honour of our veterans and all the men & women who have served our country.
The Rotary Club of Squamish was a major sponsor of Pumpkin Patch in the Park, a community event to celebrate Halloween and raise money for Community Christmas Care.
Rotary will be at the "Pumpkin Patch in the Park" on October 22nd at Stan Clark Park in downtown Squamish. Visit our stand to learn more about Rotary's promise to eradicate Polio from the world forever.
On September 8th, the Rotary Club of Squamish celebrated its 50th anniversary with a dinner at the Squamish Valley Golf Club. Our special guests were RI Director Dean Rohrs and Rhino, District Governor Lyn Stroshin and Alex, District Governor-elect Don Evans, MLA Jordan Sturdy, and Mayor Patricia Heintzman,
After the reception and dinner, several members were called to the podium to highlight some of the events and happenings that occurred over the 50 years.
District Governor Lyn Stroshin presented co-Presidents Ian Davis and Pat Taylor with a special message from RI President John Germ.
The Rotary Club of Squamish was chartered in September 1966. On September 8, 2016 we are celebrating 50 Years of Service. You are invited to join us. For tickets contact Ray Brickell, brickell@telus.net, 604-898-4572.
The Beef BBQ at Loggers Sports is coming up. Have you signed up on the volunteer sheet yet? Contact Barry Wetter (barrywetter@gmail.com) to get on the list.
The Rotary Beef BBQ has been a tradition at Loggers Sports for over 50 years. Canada AAA beef is slowly roasted over a bed of alders and served on a brioche bun with fried onions. It is always a crowd favourite - soooo good!!
Squamish Rotary participated in the annual Squamish Canada Day Parade. Young and no-so-young joined other community groups on the route to the flag raising ceremony and the start of the festivities.
This was Anne's last meeting as President, A big THANK YOU to Anne for your leadership and inspiration. Our co-Presidents for 2016-17 are Pat Taylor and Ian Davis. It was cupcakes all around!
Daniel Nduati visited us from Nairobi and gave us an update on his amazing work with the Emmanual Boyz Rescue Centre and the National Youth Empowerment Centre - both dedicated to destitute youth. Squamish Rotary has supported Daniel over many years.
John Harvey talked bout the plans for the Mamquam River Campsite; a not-for-profit initiative to provide facilities for recreational campers.
The Squamish Rotary Club partnered with Sea to Sky Community Services to enhance the area around the Youth Centre.
The project included building 5 cedar garden boxes, and constructing a small pavilion. It was a fun community project with Rotary providing funding and volunteer labour.
On completion of the project, we received a thank you note from the Youth Centre staff. Click "Read More".
On the day of the last Test of Metal, we once again held the Linda Carney Rotary Cares Challenge ride. Following the ToM riders out from the start, our riders, who had collected pledges, road up to the top of Perth to our finish where refreshments and fun awaited. The event raises funds to help Squamish residents with medical expenses not covered by insurance or other means. This year we raised over $8,000.
The Installation of the new Executive, Directors, & Committee Chairs for 2016-17 was held at the home of Greg & Lila Gardner. Pat Taylor & Ian Davis will serve as co-Presidents for the coming Rotary year.
District Governor-elect Lyn Stroshin did the honours for us.
In addition, we welcomed Vicki Haberl as a new member, Denise Imbeau received her Paul Harris Award. and President Anne recapped her year (and what a year it was!).
May 15, 2016 was the Official Opening of the Rotary Pavilion at the Squamish Legacy Sports Park. The project was funded by the Rotary Club of Squamish, a District 5040 grant from the Rotary Foundation, and the Sea to Sky Nordics Club. Thank you to our partners, volunteers, and donors who helped make the vision a reality.
Rotary Pavilion at the Squamish Legacy Sports Park.
Pope Francis thanks Rotary for its efforts to end polio and urges Rotary members to continue vaccination campaigns.
Rotary International President K.R. Ravindran is greeted by Pope Francis following the Jubilee Audience at the Vatican in St. Peter’s Square on April 30, 2016. Photo courtesy of the Vatican.
Vatican City (30 April 2016) — Nearly 9,000 members of Rotary from across the globe attended the Jubilee Audience at the Vatican in St. Peter’s Square on 30 April 2016 at the invitation of Pope Francis.
At the end of the Audience, a delegation of Rotary members - led by Rotary International President K.R. (Ravi) Ravindran - met Pope Francis where he emphasized the importance of vaccinations against polio and urged Rotary to continue.
Rotary Squamish will team with the youth and Sea-to-Sky Community Services to improve the outdoor space around the Youth Centre. Work will include landscaping, garden beds, a small pavilion, and lighting. To kick off the project Inis LeBlanc presented a cheque to Alex Anderson, the Manager of Outreach Services for Sea to Sky Community Services.
The four lucky winners of the Club 200 Lottery final draw for the 2015-2016 series were #63 $200 Stewart Kerr sold by Glen McEachran, #135 $1000 Alison Hopkins sold by Ian Davis, #162 $1000 Jayden Kanka sold by Michael Kanka, and the big winner #155 $2000 Cathy Scott sold by daughter-in-law Liz Scott. Congratulations to the winners, the non-winners and the sellers for a great job allowing the Rotary Club to distribute $10,000 to those groups in Squamish that need a little extra help.
At our meeting this week, Shana Murray from the Howe Sound Women's Centre spoke about the Centre's Camp for young girls. The club presented a cheque to Shana to support the camp. Other guests were Hilda Rizun and Karen Smith from Hilltop House. We donated funds to them for the Friday night family dinners.
Jim Chu, former Chief of the Vancouver Police Department shared his knowledge on the safety and challenges of aboriginal women on the downtown eastside. He spoke about the joint efforts being made by the local community and police working together.
With the upcoming International Women’s Day on March 8th, we are arranging a Speaker Series beginning with “The Safety of Aboriginal Women on the Downtown Eastside” on February 25th, and “Howe Sound Woman's Centre Girls Camps” on March 3rdt. Other meetings during March will focus on women and women’s issues.
Despite making up 50% of the world’s population, presently only 22 per cent of all national parliamentarians are female. Women in most countries earn on average only 60 to 75 per cent of men’s wages and violence against women and girls continues to exist throughout the world.
We invite you to join us at our Thursday 12 noon meetings in considering women’s place in Rotary, our society, and the world as we discuss gender equality, women’s empowerment and women’s human rights.
February 25th at the Sea-to-Sky Hotel.
All other meetings at the Howe Sound Brew Pub.
A lunch charge will apply.
Jan 21, 2016: Kevin Haberl spoke about the emerging state of Provincial relations with aboriginal peoples, the changing legal landscape that is driving those relations, and the historical roots that underpin today’s challenges. Kevin remains optimistic about the future state of these relationships, without understating the enormous challenges facing both aboriginal peoples and BC’s society at large. Kevin is with the Ministry of Forests, Lands, & Natural Resources and is involved with First Nations relations.
Jan 28th, 2016: This was the Monthly Evening Meeting and Pizza Nite. Many guests came along as did a bunch of Rotaractors. We all got to know each other by doing a bit of Speed Dating. It was a fun evening!
On Jan 8th, the Squamish Reporter published an article about the Rotary Club of Squamish. The article gives a brief history about the club, and highlights the club's plans for 2016, in both our local and international communities.
December 17th was a great day- full of service and fellowship. It started at 9am with joining other volunteers from Community Christmas Cares to collect and deliver Christmas hampers.
Then lunch at the Shady Tree. And followed by a jovial and fun Christmas party hosted by Bruce and Sonja Lebans.
District Governor John Anderson and his wife Claire were welcome visitors on December 10th. John gave an inspirational talk on what's happening in Rotary District 5040, and had many personal anecdotes on what Rotary has meant for him. He also presented several awards to members of the Squamish Rotary Club.
During November, President Anne set a goal to have fun, learn and share information about Rotary, and to build goodwill and better friendships.
The club was divided into 4 teams - Truth, Fair, Friendship, and Beneficial. Teams earned points in fun competitions and challenges, attendance, and guest invitations. The winning team would receive $200 to be donated to one
of the club’s programs, or charities. (funded by the November fines). Lunch meetings featured guests from our Rotaract Club who challenged us with Rotary Trivia, Tanya Hall with a look into RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards), and Don Evans with a presentation on the Rotary Foundation.
A group of Rotarians were out on the estuary trails participating in the annual Shoreline Cleanup. We were actually surprised by how little rubbish we collected. Kudos to Squamish folks for keeping our community
September 27th: Rivers Day
Squamish Rotarians joined the Squamish River Watershed Society for Rivers Day at the estuary restoration project of the old Westbarr logsort site. Rotary provided a BBQ and refreshments.
October 16th: Rotary on Ice
A group of Squamish Rotarians travelled to the Pacific Coliseum to join more Rotarians for "Rotary on Ice" where the Vancouver Giants played the Tri-Cities Americans in a WHL hockey game. The event was in aid of Rotary’s campaign to end polio and a portion of the ticket proceeds went to PolioPlus.
October 23rd: Polio Day
Squamish Rotarians had several booths around town to raise awareness about polio and Rotary's commitment to End Polio Now.
We were joined by a local resident and polio survivor who told us how important Rotary's work is, and how Rotary helped her as a young girl.
October 22nd: A Special Rotary Evening
At this special meeting chaired by President Anne and emcee'd by Doug Race, we honored local citizens, long serving members, and a very special Rotarian - Lloyd Ingraham on his 99th birthday.
October 31st: Rotary Pavilion
The Rotary Pavilion at the Squamish Legacy Sports Park is nearing completion. We hope to have the grand opening soon!
The last few months have been busy for Squamish Rotary.
1500lbs of prime Alberta beef slow roasted over an alder fire. We hope you enjoyed your Rotary beef-in-a-bun! It's been a tradition at the Loggers Sports Festival for over 50 years. See you again next year!
Streaming out after the main Test-of-Metal riders, Rotarians and friends rode the short course in support of the Linda Carney fund to help folks with medical expenses not covered by insurance.
Riders and supporters at the finish of the Linda Carney ride.
In support of the Rotary Foundation, a group of Rotarians boarded Pat & Gary's boat for a cruise to Gambier Island for an afternoon of games, swimming, orchard golf, and of course a superb dockside BBQ.
Susan was inducted into the Rotary Club of Squamish on May 28th 2015. She is a massage therapist and the founder of Squamish Integrated Health. She has spent many years practicing post surgical therapies and working with cancer patients. Susan is also an avid climber, skier and mountain biker, and currently serves as a District Councillor.
with President Brian Finley, Susan, proposer Ian Davis, and Assistant District Governor Liz Scott .
Purchase fresh, local Fraser Valley Strawberries (washed, sliced and ready to enjoy) from Squamish Rotary, and support our International project in Mexico.
Purchase fresh, local Fraser Valley Strawberries (washed, sliced and ready to enjoy) from Squamish Rotary, and support our International project in Mexico.
At the District 5040 Conference the Rotary Club of Squamish was awarded the Presidential Citation 2014-15 for achieving the membership, service, and engagement goals set by Rotary International President Gary Huang.
May 2nd 2015 at the Squamish Valley Rod & Gun Club.
We had a great evening of fun, games, food, dancing, and friendship, Thanks to everyone for coming and parting with your dollars in support of our Rotary projects:-
- the special education school for the deaf in San Miguel, Mexico
- the Pavilion at the Squamish Legacy Sports Park.
Squamish Rotary truly appreciates your support.
The Rotary Club of Squamish donated $15,000 in gaming funds to community groups on April 16. From left: Pat Taylor (Rotary), Liz Scott (Rotary), Geoff Park (Camp Summit), Christine Buttkus (Suicide Prevention Group), John Howe (Squamish Search & Rescue), Ann Marie McKenzie (Big Brothers Big Sisters), Rick Smith (Sea to Sky Nordics Biathlon Bears), Lori Broker (Elementary School Breakfast Program), Don Patrick (Rotary).
Rotary shares out funds to the Squamish Community.
March 12, 2015: District Governor Ken Wilson presented the club with Rotary International recognition for the club's contribution to Polio Plus during the 2013-2014 Rotary Year. Pictured is current President Brian Finley, President Elect Anne Carney, and accepting the certificate is Past President Mike Nasu.
March 3rd was the 4th annual Rotary Sea-to-Sky Ski Day & Challenge Race hosted by the Whistler club. A great day of skiing & fun with the 4 Rotary clubs.
Steve Julien is the newest member of Squamish Rotary. He is sponsored by Mike Nasu and was inducted by District Governor-elect John Anderson on Feb 12, 2015.
The Rotary Club of Squamish is proud to have sponsored the play “maladjusted”, which was performed by Theatre for Living in Squamish on Jan 27th 2015, the 1st of 28 performances in BC and Alberta communities. The play asks provocative questions about mental health and the systems that we have to give and receive care; and seeks a dialogue towards a new understanding about mental health and a more humanized approach to mental health care. Proceeds will benefit the Sea to Sky Suicide Awareness and Prevention Working Group.
At the Club meeting on January 15th 2015, 12 members were recognized with Paul Harris awards for their contributions to the Rotary Foundation.
Sheri Davis and Ian Davis (centre) receive Rotary Foundation Major Donor recognition. With District Governor Designate Don Evans, Club Foundation Chair Don Patrick, and Club President Brian Finley.
More photos of the awards and the meeting are in the Photo Album (scroll down on the left).
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The winning ducks drawn on August 3rd were:
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Our speakers this week were Judith Knapp and Wolfgang Pauli from the Eagle Watch Program. They gave a fascinating presentation on the bald eagles that come to the Squamish River every winter to feed on the spawning salmon. The program does an amazing job promoting eagle tourism, and environmental sustainability. Like many volunteer organisations, they are short of resources. If you would like to help by sponsoring the Eagle Watch Program, contact 
At our meeting on October 26th, we presented donations to support three organisations in Squamish.
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March 8th was International Women's Day.
The four lucky winners of the Club 200 Lottery final draw for the 2015-2016 series were #63 $200 Stewart Kerr sold by Glen McEachran, #135 $1000 Alison Hopkins sold by Ian Davis, #162 $1000 Jayden Kanka sold by Michael Kanka, and the big winner #155 $2000 Cathy Scott sold by daughter-in-law Liz Scott. Congratulations to the winners, the non-winners and the sellers for a great job allowing the Rotary Club to distribute $10,000 to those groups in Squamish that need a little extra help.
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