Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of our Charter (July 31, 2001)
20 weeks of "TBT" memories
Week #18 (December 9, 2021)
   On July 25 2018 we partnered with Sunrise Therapeutic Riding & Learning Centre in Puslinch to host a busload of children from Shelldale Family Gateway in Guelph for a visit that included a BBQ, games, the swimming pool, visiting the horses and just generally joyous hooting and hollering at a country property – something that many children that have only lived in the city, in an apartment, may not have ever been able to enjoy. Sunrise graciously opened up the property for the visit following the conclusion of their daily programs, and our members attended to supervise and BBQ.  It was a wonderful event that was repeated in 2019. Due to COVID it could not be held in 2020 or 2021 but we are already planning for and looking forward to a 2022 event.
   One of our members had made us aware in 2017 of a program that was designed to bridge the weekend food insecurity gap for school-age children. While most schools have programs that operate during school days to provide nourishment to children that need it, weekends and holidays when schools are closed leave those children at risk. Members of our club, along with members of the other 3 Guelph Rotary clubs, joined forces in 2018 to fundraise and create what is now Food4Kids Guelph, a registered charity. Food4Kids Guelph provides packages of healthy food for kids aged 1-14 years, with limited or no access to food each weekend. Packages of healthy food are prepared by volunteers and delivered to schools each Friday to ensure children have nourishment over the weekend Between 2017 and 2021 our club has been proud to provide financial support totaling $16,100 to date, and a couple of members continue to act in leadership roles. More information on this important program is available at www.food4kidsguelph.ca.
   January 2018 saw 4 of our members travel to Haiti along with 8 others in order to deliver the funding and oversee a project at the Olive Tree Projects maternity and child health centre in Jacmel.  The $16,170 project included interior renovations to provide a proper kitchen area as well as the supply and installation of a rooftop solar panel system. With the new kitchen the cook is able to better prepare quality meals for staff and patients.  The solar panels provide a secure and reliable source of electricity for the clinic. City power is spotty at best, 2 hours or so every other day. Our club provided financial support for the project which was further supplemented by private fundraising and a grant from the Rotary Foundation. All of the kitchen renovation supplies, appliances and the solar power system were sourced locally, and local Haitian labour and transportation were used, so this project supported the local economy along with improving conditions in the clinic.
Hosting Shelldale Family Gateway kids (and Spiderman?) at Sunrise Therapeutic Riding & Learning Centre
Food4Kids Guelph volunteers getting ready to pack the food bags
Kitchen renovation/solar power project at Olive Tree Projects maternity centre in Jacmel, Haiti (shown in US dollars)
Russell Hampton
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