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Club Information

Proud to also serve Puslinch Township

Guelph South

Come together as strangers
Work together as friends

We meet Thursdays at 7:30 AM
Springfield Golf & Country Club
2054 Gordon Street
Guelph, ON  N1L1G6
Canada
Email:
info@guelphsouthrotary.ca
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District Site
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Venue Map
 
President's Message

Linda Main

member photo
It is a special honor and privilege to begin my term as the 2018-2019 Rotary Club President and to “Be the Inspiration” to our members.   Our club of 24 members focuses on Fun, Fellowship, Friendship and Fundraising!  Our exciting and dynamic club incorporate all four when putting together our successful events to raise funds for the community.  Last year our club donated $60,000 to charities both locally and internationally through our events, “Taste of Italy” Pasta Dinner, Volunteer Appreciation Brunch and “Tour De Guelph” cycling event.
 
I cordially invite you to attend one our breakfast meetings on Thursdays at 7:30 am at Springfield Golf And Country Club. We are like minded individuals that want to make a difference in our community and globally. We “come together as strangers and work together as friends.”  There is so much to learn and share when you join our family.
     
 
Home Page Stories
2019 TOUR DE GUELPH
Posted on Jun 15, 2019
We meant it when we said this would be our biggest and best ride yet. We are announcing our BIGGEST Prize Promo yet for youth riders who fundraise!Guelph South Rotary member Bella Hodgkinson (a.k.a. Idabelle, a.k.a. Idie) has secured two children’s mountain bikes, courtesy of Canadian Tire Saskatoon East. 
 
Read more...
Camp Enterprise 2019 - Student visits club meeting
Matteo Furfaro, from Bishop Mac High School, was one of the Camp Enterprise students that attended the 2-day workshop at University of Waterloo in May.  He spoke to our members about his experience and of winning the team prize for best business model for a start-up organization. He told us that his biggest learning from this experience was the chance to be exposed to business leaders and how they manage complex business issues.
 
2019 Volunteer Appreciation Brunch
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION BRUNCH
            The Rotary Club of Guelph South kicked off National Volunteer Week
With a Volunteer Appreciation Brunch at the Cutten Fields Club . One hundred volunteers from 10 local charities were recognized and honoured for their generous and dedicated hours of contribution to our community. Each charity also received $1,000. This years Recipients included Community of Hearts, Elderdogs, Foods4kids, Focus on Nature, My Kitty Café, Parish Nurse Program, Royal City Quilters, Rotaractors of U of G,
             The Seed and The Shoebox Project.  
Read more...
ROTARACTORS MAKE US PROUD
Posted on Mar 24, 2019
The University of Guelph's Rotaract Club held its annual Gala on March 2nd, and this year selected Food4Kids to be the beneficiary of the proceeds.
They attended our weekly meeting on March 21st to present $5,000 how amazing is that??
We are grateful to the Rotaractors for their support of this important project being championed in Guelph by the 4 Rotary Clubs.
 
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
Posted on Mar 21, 2019
We were thrilled to be able to formally induct 2 new members today: Martin Litchfield (sponsor Russ Powell) and Charlie Barnes (sponsor Linda Craig).  Both have a long tradition of volunteer service, and becoming Rotarians is a natural progression.
   (l-r: Russ Powell, Martin Litchfield, President Linda Main, Linda Craig, Charlie Barnes)
FOOD4KIDS GUELPH - New Website
Posted on Mar 10, 2019
We're pleased to announce that Food4Kids Guelph has received confirmation of its non-profit incorporation, and is in the process of getting its charitable status finalized.  This exciting news is accompanied by their new logo and new website www.food4kidsguelph.ca - we hope you'll check it out!
 
Tickets are still available for the April 2nd fundraiser breakfast being held at Cutten Fields.  Help us ensure that more kids have their weekend food needs met by attending the breakfast or making a donation.
 
 
 
FOOD4KIDS FUNDRAISER - April 2, 2019
Posted on Mar 25, 2019
Tickets are now available SOLD OUT for the upcoming fundraiser in support of the @Food4KidsWW program in Guelph-Wellington-Dufferin. Help the Rotary clubs in Guelph as they address the issue of the 1500-1800 children in local schools who experience severe food insecurity in their homes.  Thanks to everyone for their support!
Many local school children already benefit from weekday, in-school nourishment programs such as breakfasts, snacks and/or lunches that are available to all children in the school.  But for the children facing severe food insecurity at home, there is a serious gap in their access to food over weekends and during school holidays.  Local food banks and food pantries are not able to cover this gap adequately, despite their best efforts due to the inability of families to access the food they require.  When children are nourished consistently their opportunities for a better future increase and their health and well-being are positively affected. They feel like they belong in their environment, whether it is the school classroom, playground or in the greater community.
 
Join us for breakfast, donate a silent auction item or become an event sponsor....contact us for more information and THANK YOU!
MOST SUCCESSFUL PASTA DINNER EVER!
Posted on Feb 11, 2019
On February 8th 2019 we hosted our annual fundraiser to benefit Sunrise Therapeutic Riding & Learning Centre, along with other worthwhile Rotary projects. 
The sell-out crowd of 240 guests enjoyed delicious all-you-can eat food, fellowship, door prizes, raffles and a silent auction boasting a wide range of items to be bid on.
While final numbers aren't in yet it's looking as if net proceeds will exceed $9,000 - a record for this event.
We are so grateful to the table sponsors along with the donors of silent auction/raffle/door prize items.   
Their generosity went a long way towards making this event the huge success it was.
 
We used the event as an opportunity to make a $5,000 donation to Sunrise Therapeutic Riding & Learning Centre, along with a $2,800 donation to Childrens' Help for Uganda.
    
 
A photo album is on the club website home page (right side) along with a photo carousel (left side).  Thanks to the volunteers, sponsors, prize donors and especially our guests!
GivingThursday
Posted on Nov 30, 2018
Our Rotary meeting theme this week was "GivingThursday" and we spent it donating contents & packing 10 Christmas Gift Bags for @ChalmersCentre, which we do every year, along with something new this year - 5 shoeboxes for @ShoeboxGuelph #ShoeboxProject.  Great fun & felt good too!  
 
As usual our members enthusiastically participated, both with the donated goods and the packing of the gift packages.  Guest Nicole Greco jumped right in there as well, helping with the packing and taking left over donated goods to Hope House for us...thanks Nicole!
TOUR DE GUELPH FUNDS - NEW CT SCANNER
Posted on Oct 30, 2018

This week Guelph General Hospital had its official ribbon-cutting for its new CT Scanner. Marianne Walker, GGH president and CEO, said the machine will improve the quality of care, create increased efficiency and will save money.

The previous CT scanner was 13 years old and performed over 300,000 scans. It frequently broke down and need repairs. It will be refurbished and used in a developing country. A year ago the hospital put a new CT scanner at the top of its wish list.

Cost of just under $1 million was paid for primarily through donations and fundraising in the community, including the Tour de Guelph community cycling event.

Rotary Club of Guelph South President Linda Main represented the club at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

   

Thanks to everyone that supported Tour de Guelph, YOU were part of this too!

DISTRICT 7080 GOVERNOR VISIT
Posted on Sep 06, 2018
  (L-R:  DGE Lesley Barmania; ADG Darlene Carpenter; President Linda Main; D7080 Governor John Gilvesy)
 
On September 6th we welcomed 2018-19 District 7080 Governor John Gilvesy to our club for the first time.
DG John was welcomed by Club President Linda Main.  Also attending was Assistant Governor Darlene Carpenter and, for her first visit to our club, District 7080 Governor Elect Lesley Barmania.
John was clearly outnumbered here, and it's a good representation of the involvement and elevation of women in Rotary!
DG John is a member of Rotary Club of Tillsonburg; ADG Darlene is a member of Rotary Club of Guelph-Trillium; DGE Lesley is a member of Rotary Club of Meadowvale.
Thank you all for attending our meeting.
Hosting Shelldale Family Gateway Kids at Sunrise - July 26, 2018
Posted on Jul 30, 2018
Again in 2018 we enjoyed hosting a busload of youngsters from the Shelldale Community Centre at Sunrise Therapeutic Riding & Learning Centre.  These city kids had an opportunity to whoop it up in a country setting, enjoying the fresh air, the animals, the BBQ and food, the swimming pool and the sports activities.  A group of volunteer Rotarians, along with Sunrise representatives, supervised the youngsters during the visit.  We're grateful to Sunrise for making their facility available for this event, and we know that the youngsters had a really good time!
         
DISTRICT GRANT PRESENTATION
Posted on Jul 14, 2018
On July 12th the District 7080 Director for Rotary Foundation and Past District Governor, Norm Bindon, attended our weekly meeting and presented the Club with a cheque for $4,597.00 representing proceeds from the Rotary Foundation as a District sponsored grant, towards the work done at the Olive Tree Projects birthing and maternal health in Haiti.   In January 2018 four Rotarians from our club (Peter and Celia Clark, Geoff and Deb Allen) went to Haiti in order to do renovations to their kitchen and install solar panels on the clinic roof in order to provide a more consistent source of electricity.  Donations to the Rotary Foundation are invested and after 3 years are available to clubs, both at the District and International level, to assist clubs in financing worthy projects like this.
 
And, while Norm was there, he was honoured to be able to award a Paul Harris Fellow +3 Pin to Rotarian Brian Cowan.  This pin with a special stone recognizes a level of contributions to the Rotary Foundation. Congratulations Brian!
 
 
PRESIDENT CHANGEOVER
Posted on Jul 01, 2018
On June 19th members and guests gathered to celebrate the end of another successful Rotary year.  President Bruno Marziano’s term will end of June 30th and he was thanked for his service to the club over the past year.  Incoming President Linda Main presented him with an engraved award as thanks, and he expressed his thanks to the members for their involvement that made the year such a success.  Everyone enjoyed barbecued steaks and ribs, along with various salads and accompaniments.  Mother Nature cooperated and provided perfect weather for eating and fellowship outdoors.
 
Read more...
SPECIAL VISITORS FROM INDIA!
Posted on Jun 20, 2018
Rotary Club of Guelph South Rotarian Pat Lewis, along with Rotary Club of Guelph Trillium Rotary President Norm Greensmith, today welcomed + exchanged banners with visiting Rotarians (President-Elect K.K. Chugh, President Hernant Shah) from @3201Rotary District, Rotary Club of Coimbatore Metropolis, India. 
 
K.K. Chugh has a brother in Guelph, and they are staying with that brother while they attend the Rotary International Convention being held in Toronto.  They had originally reached out to our Club, to attend our regular weekly meeting.  However we had cancelled this week’s meeting due to the President Changeover event, and instead invited them to approach the Guelph-Trillium Club about attend their meeting.  They spoke with Norm Greensmith who readily accommodated them, and our own Pat Lewis offered to attend as well to extend greetings on behalf of our Club and present them with our banner.
 
Their club’s signature project is “Hope After Fire – Reconstruction Surgery for Burn Deformities”.  They will be providing us with information on it, and are looking forward to getting more information on our projects.
 

 
Just a couple more of the more than 1.2 million members of our “Rotary family” that we have the privilege of getting to know!
FOOD4KIDS
Posted on May 22, 2018
The pilot project for servicing the Guelph area is progressing well, with the school year soon coming to a close.  The project team has been working through the logistics of this new program on a smaller scale with the intention of being able to incorporate more volunteers and increasing the number of students that can be serviced starting this fall.
 
We are grateful to the project team for all their work in getting this project started, and are looking forward to a full roll-out that more of us can be involved with.  Stay tuned!
                                      (Members of the Food4Kids project team)
CAMP ENTERPRISE STUDENTS
Posted on May 20, 2018
Rotary Club of Guelph South has, since 2007, sponsored senior students from Bishop Macdonell High School to attend the Golden Triangle Camp Enterprise 3-day residential business development program that is sponsored by 9 Rotary Clubs in the Guelph, Cambridge and K-W area.  The program this year ran from May 1st through 3rd in Waterloo.  This year we sponsored 4 students, and we were pleased to welcome 3 of them that were available to attend our May 17th weekly meeting and give us their impressions of their participation. Nestor Rivera, Happy Tran and Zachary Taylor shared how they were part of a break-out group that developed a business plan for a new business with a mens’ hair care product.  They also spoke about their visit to the Velocity Project and in particular how much food was made available to the participants!
    (Rotarian Frank Oudesluys, Happy, Nestor, Rotary President Bruno Marziano, Zachary)
In particular, Nestor expressed a desire to pursue involvement in a Rotaract Club after having observed the presentations by the Rotaractors.  While none of them had known about Rotary, or Rotaract, before taking part in Camp Enterprise, they now have a better idea of what both are and appreciated the opportunity to be part of the group that attended Camp Enterprise.  We were gratified to get the following feedback from their business teacher at Bishop Mac, Kevin Da Costa:  “I have spoken to the 4 students from BM who went and they all loved it! Extremely positive reviews and they were very grateful to have the chance to go.”
COMFORT QUILTS
Posted on Apr 23, 2018
On April 19th we had past member Cheryl Cowan speaking on her involvement with the Royal City Quilters Guild and our partnership with them in the creation of 200 "Comfort Quilts" over the past year.  Cheryl displayed some sample quilts and advised on the disposition of the 200 quilts.  She has since written an article for the upcoming RCQG newsletter that she has shared with us:
We are pleased and proud of our involvement with this worthwhile project of RCQG.
CONGRATULATIONS U OF G ROTARACTORS
Posted on Mar 28, 2018
On Friday March 23rd the University of Guelph Rotaractors hosted their annual Gala, this year to benefit the Start2Finish Running & Reading Program in Guelph.  Everyone, including the Rotary Club of Guelph South members that attended the event, had a great time and very much enjoyed the dinner.  Their Facebook page has some photos, including these:
  
 
   
WE TRULY ARE THISCLOSE....
Posted on Mar 28, 2018
Only 5 cases of polio worldwide so far in 2018!  Be proud to be a Rotarian and part of the monumental 30 year effort to eradicate this disease for good.
 
Upcoming Events
 
PHOTO CAROUSEL: 4th Annual Volunteer Appreciation Brunch
 
Club Leadership Team
President
Linda Main
President-Elect
Debbie Allen
Secretary
Dianne Paron
Treasurer
Peter Clark
Club Service Chair
Peter Clark
Community Service Chair
Debbie Allen
International Service Chair
Debbie Allen
Vocational Service Chair
Debbie Allen
Youth Service Chair
Linda Craig
Foundation Chair
Dianne Paron
Membership Chair
Russell Powell
Public Relations Chair
Brian Cowan
Director
Hazel Dickie
 
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Speakers
Brian Cowan
Jun 20, 2019
Tour de Guelph
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