Clubs' achievements and activities in our District for December

Posted on Jan 08, 2024
Achievements and activities of some of our clubs in Rotary District 5040 in December 2023
 
Some recent achievements and activities in District 5040 clubs as reported by Assistant Governors
for end of December 2023. There is much more planning and other activity in clubs,
but these are current results, projects completed.
Network with other clubs for ideas and stay tuned for future reports.
also visit the expanding list of projects in our new District 5040 Showcase
 
Burnaby
  • Members helped out with the breakfast with the Santa project on Dec. 9th, about the 25th year the Club has helped this fun event at Maywood Community School, this year with significant help from the New Westminster Royal City Rotary Club.
  • The board decided the club would hold only two meeting per month, planning to spend more time on projects in the community.
Burnaby – Deer Lake
  • DG Shirley-Pat inducted a new member.
  • The club sponsored Santa Breakfast at Edmonds Community School as Rotarians and volunteers/helpers served 600 pancakes to serve the students.
Burnaby Metrotown
  • The Club sent the first round of funding to the Kampala-Kawempe Club for their hygiene poverty project.
  • The Club has committed to participating in the Coldest Night of Year, and Is currently fundraising.
Dragon
  • A new member was inducted.
  • The club donated $3,000 to Lapower Running Society for which Dragon Club helped raise funds through Burnaby Lake Run event in August 2023.
  • Three Paul Harris Fellow Awards were presented to club members.
  • The club donated $21,000 to Burnaby Hospital Foundation raised through three community events during year 2023.
  • Half of the club members attended the special Christmas Market at Crystal Mall to support individuals with special needs hosted by Canada Hands & Feet of All Abilities Foundation.
Gibsons  
  • Fundraising proceeds were approved for St.Bart’s ($2000), the Salvation Army ($2000), and the Arrow Society ($1000). 
  • Annual Online Auction achieved $22,000.
  • Our Fireside Chats were a success with great participation and feedback and now an action plan developed.  
  • All but three fundraising calendars were sold by year end with remainders donated to local charities.
Ladner
  • Two new members inducted. 
  • Two members helped with the loading of a Rotary World Help container for Ukraine, sponsored by RC of Arbutus on December 9th. 
  • The club hosted the annual Weekend Family and Peer Support Christmas Dinner for special needs adults, with 50 guests, and 30 Rotarians and Friends volunteering.
  • Having made its annual donation to Deltassist of $1,500 for Christmas Hampers to 650 Delta families in need, six members and three friends participated in delivering the hampers to homes along with various service clubs.
  • City of Delta has planted 65 trees and shrubs sponsored by the club and a sponsor to celebrate the Rotary Club of Ladner’s 65th Anniversary at a small local park on Westham Island. 
New Westminster
  • The club’s Christmas Light Tour (fundraiser for the Transit Museum) had 28 members and friends who enjoyed a great social evening checking out some beautiful lights in the tri-cities area.
  • Members of Interact/Rotaract/Rotary provided carols and gifts to seniors.
  • Several members volunteered for the annual Salvation Army Kettle Campaign shifts and others continued to serve at Don’t Go Hungry. 
New Westminster – Royal City
  • Pancake breakfast was held on Dec 9th at Maycroft School in Burnaby, which feeds hundreds of children in the area and staffed by volunteers and fellow Rotarians.
  • Rotary Mingle and Jingle Christmas Caroling event was held on Dec 2nd to help 145+ seniors residing at the Rotary Tower and Kiwanis Care Centre get into the holiday spirit with carols sung by members of New Westminster Rotary clubs, Rotaractors and Interactors, and the Rainbow Chorus Choir. Gift bags were also provided to residents
One Hundred Mile House
  • One new member
Pemberton
  • On November 28, Giving Tuesday, the club sent $2,400 to Shelter Box
  • The club contributed to Polio Plus and The Rotary Foundation contributions 
  • The President and four Interactors helped prepare turkey dinners for Food Bank delivery.
  • 3 Rotarians and 6 Interactors participated in Ring the Bells during the week before Christmas
  • The club has recently made these donations: $200 to the Club Rotario Los Barriles Toy and Blanket Drive; $1,000 to Lil’wat Christmas Bureau; $5,000 to the Pemberton Food Bank; $547.64 from the Interact’s Halloween Scare Hunger event; $200 to HIP YSY Organization for the 2024 conference; on behalf of Sea-to-Sky Rotary clubs $50,000 wire transfer to Leaders2Give for the John Gullo Home for Children
Pender Harbour  
  • A very successful and profitable Scotch Tasting event held at the Legion in Pender Harbour with full dinner and Scotch commentary by member Jim McNight, in full kilt and pipes played.  
Powell River 
  • One new member was inducted.
  • At the Annual Breakfast with Santa Rotarians and Interactors cooked and served breakfast at the Recreation Complex in partnership with the City of Powell River
  • is based on weekly emails that I receive from the clubs.
Quesnel
  • Youth exchange open house held
  • Book recycling event held
  • Seniors Bingo held
Regal Rotaract
  • The club finalized its Clothing Drive for the Covent House.
Richmond
  • Out of the 100 Christmas poinsettias sold in the annual fundraiser, the Interact Club at Richmond Secondary sold 50 and members, friends, and fellow Rotarians from other clubs sold the other 50 with proceeds donated to the Richmond Christmas Fund.
  • The club donated $1,200 to the Christmas meals delivery program organized by the Minoru Seniors Society.  
  • On December 23, 11 members and their families delivered close to 30 sets of holiday meals to the low-income seniors in Richmond.
Richmond Sunrise
  • Club members donated toys for the annual Victor Ghirra Toy Drive.
Richmond Sunset
  • The Rotary Peace Garden project, which Rotary International President 2022-23 Jennifer Jones launched at Garden City Park in Richmond last year is one of the causes supported by the club's 22nd Annual Winter Wonderland at Richmond City Hall on display throughout December. Proceeds from the project, launched on December 2nd, were expected to reach $50,000 or more and will also support Interact clubs at Hugh Boyd and Steveston-London Secondary schools, scholarships at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Richmond Christmas Fund and The Rotary Foundation, plus an endowment fund which focuses on one of Rotary's seven Areas of Focus, maternal and child health.
  • Richmond's Mayor, some City Councillors, an MP and MLA joined District Governor Shirley-Pat Chamberlain in bringing greetings. There was a display of decorated, sponsored Christmas trees indoors and, outdoors, many more live trees to be planted later in local parks.
Sechelt 
  • Collected $500 for the FoodBank, delivered to Sunshine Coast Community Services Society
  • Four Interactors signed up to attend RYLA South
  • Tent and blankets warm clothing drive for the Arrowhead Centre.
  • $585 raised at a recent bottle drive 
  • A bake sale to raise funds for breast cancer research was held. 
  • Candy Grams for Christmas raised funds for the food bank. 
  • On December 1st the Interactor president and vice president made an audiovisual presentation about Rotary and the Interact Club to the school’s parent advisory council meeting. 
  • Online sales of the club’s jigsaw puzzle to help fund the Sunshine Coast Mothers School project in Bangladesh began and puzzles sold at Roberts Creek Craft Fair
Sechelt - Sunshine Coast 
  • The club’s foundation has been focused on work in the Ndandini area of Kenya, began in 2008, mainly to support scholarships for the two high schools and any projects that 
  • Members of the club helped keep the Activity Center open for those home alone wishing to drop in. 
  • President PDG Darcy Long opened a zoom link to members wishing to drop in and visit. 
Smithers
  • Annual auction completed.
  • One new member inducted.
Squamish
  • At a Fireside Chat the topic for discussion was the Rotary Foundation and “According to Rotary Club Central our club's all-time giving to the Foundation is US$317,196.” 
  • A Christmas wreath-making workshop received over $500 for the Rotary Foundation.
  • Members delivered Christmas Hampers to families in need.
Steveston
  • The club provided pancake breakfast -- donated by Save-On-Food -- at McMath Secondary School with members of the school's Interact Club on December 12 to raise funds for the Mariposa Society.  
  • The club is working with a local steel fabricator to build a prototype rapid response tank trailer for a First Nations Band’s volunteer fire brigade. 
  • Eight members delivered food hampers to 40 families in the Steveston area with support from Save-On-Foods, Shopper’s Drug Mart and the Food Bank.  
Tsawwassen
  • A team of 6 Rotarians went down to Mexico to visit Project Amigo, an international project that the club has supported for many years.  Christmas decorations were created and supplies, clothing, and gifts were distributed. 
  • At the club’s Festival of Lights on December 1st, Rotarians decorated a tree, popped hundreds of bags of popcorn, with Interact members, and greeted many who came to enjoy the even at the Tsawwassen Springs Golf Club.  
  • At the Food Bank Christmas Party on December 15th club members served 80 less fortunate people in our community with gifts of purses for women (with gifts & goodies inside) and gift bags for men plus toys and socks from our Amazon returns redistribution program.
  • Club members joined Deltassist, as organizer, and various other service clubs in bringing Christmas food hampers to some of the 650 families in need in the community.  
Whistler
  • The club has recently raised funds for various causes: Pancake Breakfast, $3800;  GranFondo bike park, $1375; Cornucopia Coat Check and Silent Auction, $24,000 (net) from which $5,000 was distributed for Youth Support Programs.
Williams Lake
  • Held District DEI 101 session with excellent attendance
  • District Grant received for Exercise Project
Williams Lake Daybreak
  • Octoberfest raised $ 2,000 which they donated to the Potato House project which runs composting activities.
  • District Grant received for the Story Book Trail – received small District grant
  • Shade covers installed in park for picnics and activities under shade in summer