This morning our Auction Chairs, Greg, John, and John introduced this year's auction to our club members. This is our biggest fundraiser, and requires everyone to take on a role, even a small one. The Chais stressed that the process is a long one, ending in November, so it's best to be ready to start early.
REMINDER! It’s SPRING GRANT TIME!
Applications for our Community Service Project Grants are now being accepted for both our Regular Community Grants - Deadline: April 1st, and our New Initiative Mini-Grants - Deadline: April 15th, which are especially designed for elementary or secondary school clubs or small start-up projects. PARTNER WITH US!
Cataraqui-Kingston Rotarians Step Up to Facilitate COVID-19 Vaccination
March 10th, C-K Rotary members and friends began screening and ushering Kingstonians attending the Mass Immunization Clinic at the Invista Centre. They're part of a team from all four Kingston Clubs and two Rotaract Clubs covering two volunteer posts for the entire time, seven days a week, that the clinic is open.Click on photo for photo album of clinic opening
Kingston Youth Going FARther on Pathways to Education!
Rotary is assisting vulnerable youth in their transition from high school to post secondary pursuits.
Thanks to a $140,000 Rotary Global Grant initiated by the Rotary Club of Cataraqui-Kingston, high school graduates of the Pathways to Education Program will now have greater access to ongoing support through the new Rotary FAR Project as they move on to post-secondary education and meaningful employment!
Keep Pedalling In Pikangikum - Community Bike Shop
Our funding of $2000 towards the bike shop in Pikangikum delivers on multiple levels. It is a place to repair the bikes to keep them in service and extend their use and therefore their value. Importantly, it also facilitates the further engagement for the community’s youth learning about and practicing bike maintenance. The result is the acquisition of the life skills as well as the development of a sense of achievement and self confidence. With this, they can go forward in life learning and achieving in other areas.
New Hope Community Bikes is based in Hamilton, Ontario, this is a registered charity and social enterprise that seeks to get more people on affordable, reliable bicycles and provide employment and job training opportunities for youth. "Keep Pedaling in Pikangikum" was our specific project in Pikangikum, Ontario. For details about the Pikangikum project, see https://youtu.be/PcGUqecXIJI and for an update, see https://youtu.be/3ea9Xmy53N8 .
Food Sharing Project in Johannesburg, South Africa
The Rotary Club of Morningside, Johannesburg in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Cataraqui-Kingston.
Over 9 million people in South Africa face acute food insecurity exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, drought and economic decline.
From 29 March to 11 April 2021 RC Morningside is collecting donations of food outside a local supermarket. Ready made up hampers of non-perishable food can be purchased for R 99.00 (approximately CDN 8.50); loose items can be put into Rotary trolleys. Rotarians, volunteers and youngsters of the RC Morningside’s Interact Club at the French School Lycée Jules Verne are relaying their presence. They are aiming to collect 600 Rotary Food Boxes plus loose items.
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Heather was introduced this morning by Michelle Chatten Fiedorec. Michelle prefaced her introduction of Heather with a history of Rotary Fireside Chats/Classification talks. This “Getting to know You” event was conducted by Michelle and Heather in an interview format.
John Farrow introduced our speaker, Pat Armstrong, who has been a Rotarian for 15 years. She is also a member of the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group. (ESRAG). Pat works as an educator for sustainability. She has a BSci (Hons.), DipEd. and is currently completing a doctorate on adolescent leadership for sustainability at RMIT University. Pat has worked in a number of roles (mostly in the areas of waste and resource recovery, climate change and biodiversity), including management, strategic planning, grant writing, training, evaluation and publication.John also briefly covered what a RAG, or Rotary Action Group, is. According to the RI website;
"Rotary Action Groups are independent, Rotary-affiliated groups made up of people from around the world who are experts in a particular field, such as economic development, peace, addiction prevention, the environment, or water. Action groups offer their technical expertise and support to help clubs plan and implement projects to increase our impact, one of Rotary's strategic priorities. This support includes helping clubs find partners, funding, and other resources."
This morning we had a joint meeting between our club and the Morningside Rotary Club of Johannesburg, South Africa.We have a long and fruitful association with Morningside.
This morning the South Africans reported on two of their projects, and C-K Rotary reported on one of our projects.
Greta reminded us that the relationship of between Morningside and Cataraqui-Kingston goes back at least 10 years. At one of her yearly visits to Cataraqui she pitched a project out that her club in South Africa was undertaking. During the last year we have participated with Morningside in two other projects. Morningside also hosted the Canadians during the friendship exchange, and we had a wonderful visit here with the South Africans.
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ACTIVITIES:
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Service Above Self
Kingston, ON K7L 5J7
Canada