Charter Member Margaret Nixon was the first of our members to travel to provide “Service Above Self” in other countries: in January 2008 she, along with other District 7080 Rotarians, at their own expense, met up with Rotarians from Arizona to travel across the border to Mexico.  Meeting up with Nogales Mexico Rotarians, a joint effort was then undertaken that included lots of work - but also lots of fellowship - and ultimately resulted in the preparation of hundreds of gift boxes to hand out to the children in underprivileged communities there on “Three Kings Day” their equivalent of Christmas.  Margaret became so committed to this effort, and the good that she saw firsthand that it could do, that she joined the district organizing team for subsequent annual trips. This began what has now become an ongoing relationship and financial commitment ($17,600 through 2020) by the club with Mexico and Mexican Rotarians that persists to this day. We are proud of the other members, including Frank Oudesluys and Linda Main, who have also made the trips to Mexico in subsequent years to support Rotary initiatives there and even to provide polio immunizations.

   Rotarians don’t just hand out cheques – they also like to get together as a group and provide service.  In 2008 the club decided to participate in the County of Wellington’s “Adopt-A-Road” program.  As our club’s service area includes Puslinch Township, we selected a stretch of Brock Road (County Road 46) through Aberfoyle to be our responsibility.  Up to 3 times per year a group of Rotarians (and any family and friends that want to join in the fun) does a roadside cleanup, teams on each side of this stretch of roadway, and has a lot of fun doing it!  You never know what you will find in those roadside ditches…  We have done them ever year since 2008, but sadly we have been unable to do them in 2020 or so far in 2021 due to both road construction projects and COVID.  We look forward to being able to start up again in spring of 2022.