WELCOME TO ROTARY CLUB OF GUELPH SOUTH'S WEBSITE
 
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
2018 SPARKLES IN THE PARK
Posted on Dec 08, 2018
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A Family Tradition for all Ages!  Rotary Club of Guelph’s “Sparkles in the Park” returns for 2018!  Saturday December 15, 2018 and will run nightly until Monday, December 31, 2018.  Fun for the Whole Family. 
Stay warm in your car as you drive through Guelph’s Riverside Park enjoying the festive light displays. There is also ample free parking if you would rather take a stroll through the park and take in the displays close up.
Events Include:
  • Open nightly from 5:30 PM – 9:30 PM
  • Enjoy free rides on the carousel from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM from December 22 until December 31
  • Celebrate the New Year in traditional Sparkles fashion with fireworks New Years Eve at 8:00 PM
Your Generous Donation supports both local and international programs and projects of the Rotary Club of Guelph.
DECEMBER: ROTARY'S DISEASE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT MONTH
Posted on Dec 01, 2018
Rotary is dedicated to fighting and preventing disease.  Disease Prevention and Treatment is one of Rotary’s Six Area of Focus.   Disease and illness results in pain and injury.  Prolonged severe illness may result in loss of employment and income.  It affects families.  It affects quality of life.   Rotary and Rotarians are committed to helping people to live healthy lives.   Our signature project in this area is Polio Eradication.   But polio is not the only disease or aspect of healthy living on which Rotarians have expended energies.
Read more...
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!

WORLD POLIO DAY FLAG RAISING
Posted on Oct 24, 2018
On Wednesday October 24, 2018 - World Polio Day - members of the Rotary Club of Guelph South and Guelph Trillium joined Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie for an "End Polio Now" World Polio Day flag raising ceremony.  This ceremony, held annually, also includes comments by the Rotary club presidents.
Rotary Club of Guelph South President Linda Main represents the Club and speaks at the flag raising ceremony
 
WORLD POLIO DAY - October 24, 2018
Posted on Oct 24, 2018
 
 
World Polio Day was established by Rotary International over a decade ago to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis. Use of this inactivated poliovirus vaccine and subsequent widespread use of the oral poliovirus, developed by Albert Sabin, led to the establishment of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988. As of 2013, GPEI had reduced polio worldwide by 99%.

Polio is a crippling and potentially fatal infectious disease. There is no cure, but there are safe and effective vaccines. Polio can be prevented through immunization. Polio vaccine, given multiple times, almost always protects a child for life. The strategy to eradicate polio is therefore based on preventing infection by immunizing every child until transmission stops and the world is polio-free.

Caborca Mexico - Rotary Polio Immunization Days 

Rotary Club of Guelph South member Frank Oudesluys participating in 2017 National Immunization Day in Caborca Mexico

OCTOBER IS ROTARY'S ECONOMIC + COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MONTH 
Posted on Oct 01, 2018
 
This is the time of year clubs focus on how we give back to Rotary using our vocations to support our economy and communities.  Rotary supports investments in people to create measurable and enduring economic improvement in their lives and communities.  The Rotary Foundation enables Rotarians to invest in people by creating sustainable, measurable and long term economic improvements in their communities and livelihoods by: 
1. Building the capacity of entrepreneurs, community leaders, local organizations, and community networks to support economic development in impoverished communities;
2.   Developing opportunities for productive work;
3.   Reducing poverty in under-served communities;
4.   Supporting studies for career-minded professionals related to economic and community development
ROTARY'S NEW LEARNING CENTRE
Posted on Sep 16, 2018
Rotary International's website www.rotary.org has just rolled out its completely revamped Learning Centre and it's awesome!
Let's face it....Rotary is huge, and there are so many facets to it. Where do you start??
The new Learning Centre provides many more bite-sized modules that focus on specific topics of interest.  You can drill down through your area of interest to specific videos, offered in many different languages.
Once a module is completed your online "Dashboard" is updated to show your progress, and you get a certificate of completion.
Watch this short video, see what it's all about.
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.
SEPTEMBER - Rotary's Basic Education & Literacy Month
Posted on Sep 01, 2018

More than 775 million people over the age of 15 are illiterate. That’s 17 percent of the world’s adult population. 

Our goal is to strengthen the capacity of communities to support basic education and literacy, reduce gender disparity in education, and increase adult literacy. We support education for all children and literacy for children and adults.  

Read more...
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!
SHELTERBOX NOMINATED FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE!
Posted on May 21, 2018
In recognition of its humanitarian efforts in areas of extreme conflict.  Rotary and ShelterBox have worked together for more than 15 years, providing emergency shelter after disasters in all parts of the world.  The goal of ShelterBox is to keep families and communities together in crisis situations, providing emergency shelter and life-saving supplies to people forcibly displaced from their homes.  
Our Rotary Club purchased and donated 2 Shelter Boxes which were dispatched to Port-Au-Prince Haiti after the 2010 earthquake there.
Good luck to ShelterBox as it is up for much-deserved recognition for the good it has done.
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.”
5th ANNUAL TOUR DE GUELPH - JUST OVER 4 WEEKS AWAY!
Posted on May 22, 2018
Time flies when you're having fun!  We can hardly believe Tour de Guelph is now just over 4 weeks away!  We've been having so much fun planning for this year's ride. It's going to be our biggest and best ride yet and we want you there with us!
 
The 5th annual event has an ambitious goal of $125,000.  We’re pleased to announce that there is already almost $50,000 raised – that’s 40% of the goal.  You can go to the www.tourdeguelph.ca website and make a donation directly, or you can sponsor one of the many teams that have already registered.  And – cool new feature for 2018 – when you make a donation online you have the opportunity of personalizing a Tour de Guelph e-card and sending it to up to 100 email addresses.  And of course you get your tax receipt emailed to you right away as well.  All proceeds of Tour de Guelph Five will help fund a new CT Scanner for Guelph General Hospital. Many other organizations will also benefit through the Rotary Clubs of Guelph South and Guelph Trillium.
 
New for 2018!  Everyone must choose: Ride-for-the-Jersey OR Register as a Free-wheeler
Ride-for-the-Jersey: When you agree to raise a minimum of $300, you'll receive an exclusive Tour de Guelph Five cycling jersey valued at $75 for free! On the day after the event, if you have not met this minimum fundraising goal, your credit card will be charged for the balance. For example, if you raised $220, your card will be charged $80. Note that you can set a higher fundraising goal to try to win one of the amazing top fundraiser prizes with no obligation to meet your higher goal. As long as you reach the $300 minimum, you will not be charged. You also have the option of purchasing additional jerseys when you register.
Free-wheeler: As a Free-wheeler, you decide whether or not you wish to fundraise. If you choose to fundraise, you set your own goal with no requirement to meeting a minimum fundraising amount and no obligation to meet your goal. You may still qualify for top fundraiser prizes and you may purchase a jersey for $100.00  – you'll get the jersey and a $25 charitable tax receipt.   
 
Distances & Pricing
Back by popular demand - the 75k route!  Tour de Guelph Five offers six routes:
 
 
Early Bird Price
Regular Price
Day-of Price
Route
May 12 - Jun 15
Jun 16 - 21
24-Jun
5k/10k loop 
$12
$15
$15
25k Bremner Memorial 
$30
$35
$40
50k
$50
$60
$70
75k
$55
$65
$75
100k
$60
$70
$80
160k century 
$70
$80
$90

Note that distances are not exact, they may vary by a few kilometers. Detailed route maps will be available on our website in June.
 
Sincerely,
Norm Litchfield, Rotary Club Guelph Trillium, Tour de Guelph Co-Chair,
Brian Cowan, Rotary Club Guelph South, Tour de Guelph Co-Chair,
Suzanne Bone, CEO, The Foundation of Guelph General Hospital
MAY IS ROTARY’S "YOUTH SERVICE MONTH"
Posted on May 04, 2018
May is the month when we focus on all Rotary activities that support the development of young people up to the age of 30 including Rotaract, Interact and even Rota-Kids.  Activities to support youth include Camp Enterprise, RYLA and Youth Exchange.  Our club has sponsored students in both RYLA and Camp Enterprise since 2007. 
 
Our Rotary Club, every year since 2007, has sponsored senior students from Guelph's Bishop Macdonell high school to attend the annual Golden Triangle “Camp Enterprise” a cooperative effort between multiple Rotary Clubs in the ‘Golden Triangle’ region surrounding Kitchener, Cambridge, Guelph, Waterloo and Fergus. Selected students have the opportunity, at no cost, to attend a 3 day immersive camp at the University of Waterloo about business and entrepreneurship. Students will get to attend keynote speaker lectures and participate in collaborative activities culminating in a business plan presentation at the end of camp.  Camp Enterprise is free for Students - local Rotary Clubs cover the cost of lodging, meals etc. It cost Rotary about $350 per student. Because Rotary is investing so much in the students we ask the students for their commitment to attending the full camp itinerary, and for them to make the most of the Camp Enterprise experience.
  (L-R  Nestor, Happy, Lukus and President-Elect Linda Main. Zachary was at an Air Cadet event)
This year’s camp ran from May 1st through the 3rd, and on May 17th we’ll look forward to hearing from the students that we sponsored at our May 17th weekly meeting.  The Camp Enterprise program is a great way for our Club to contribute to the vocational development of local high school students.
 
DONATION TO SUNRISE - April 26th 2018
Posted on Apr 30, 2018
Puslinch Mayor Dennis Lever presented our $5,000 donation to Lynne O'Brien, Executive Director of Sunrise Therapeutic Riding & Learning Centre.  This donation is from proceeds of the 16th Annual "Taste of Italy" Pasta Dinner, an event held annually in Puslinch to benefit Sunrise.
 
 
Upcoming Events
 
 
Club Leadership Team
President
Linda Main
President-Elect
Debbie Allen
Past President
Bruno Marziano
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
 
 
December 2018
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Speakers
LINDA CRAIG
Dec 13, 2018
Classification Talk
Classification Talk

We always look forward to these Classification Talks, where members have an opportunity to hear from another member about their life, their vocation and how they came to be Rotarians.  This week Linda Craig provides us with this valuable insight into her life.

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