It was my privilege to serve as president during Rotary’s Centenary year—and what a year it was as the Rotary Club of Guelph-Trillium celebrated Rotary in grand style

Two of my personal highlights included:

The celebration of Rotary’s actual 100^th birthday on Wednesday, February 23, 2005—the  date of the first meeting between Paul Harris, Hiram Shorey, Gustave Lohrer and Sylvester Schiele.  The Club hosted a celebration with members from each of the four Guelph-area Rotary clubs, which feted Rotary and honored its accomplishments at the international and local levels.

Along with the Rotary Clubs of Guelph, Guelph-Wellington and Wellington South we raised funds for the Rotary 4 Hopewell project—the construction of a Playsense space at the Shelldale centre which continues to serve the needs of Hopewell Homes clients and parents.  The cruise raffle, which culminated in a draw at the February 23 meeting, the hockey challenge and the Spring Soiree successfully raised more than the $100,000 goal.

The only event which cast a cloud (literally) over this celebratory year was Ribfest, otherwise known as Rainfest.  Despite a torrential rain, and thanks to a hard-working sponsorship committee, we netted a small profit during the first Ribfest adversely affected by the weather.

The Centennial Board set a number of goals, which were successfully reached:

In Club Service we:

·         Implemented the POD concept which provided a variety of new and interesting speakers and which was expanded to cover attendance desk duties.

·         We continued to build friendships through a successful roster of fellowship activities: past favorites such as winter get-togethers and euchre night, and new favorites such as the car rally.

·         Through the Family of Rotary we reached out to family members and former club members through Christmas meeting and the honoring of the memory past member and board member Jim Gray with the presentation of Paul Harris Fellowship to Doreen Gray.

·         And we inducted seven new members, reaching a total of 51 members for a net increase of three members.

In Community Service we:

·         Supported 13 community organizations with $17,000 in financial aid.

·         We purchased disposable cameras so needy families could photograph their celebrations, and we continued to provide a merry Christmas for another needy family.

In Vocational Service we:

·         Continued to support Camp Enterprise, including the participation of Club members Joe Carpenter and Patsy Marshall.

·         Expanded the Fred Black scholarship program by adding Bishop MacDonnell High School, Guelph’s newest high school, for a total of seven scholarships to be given out.

In International Service we:

·         Continued to support Street Keepers International—including helping staff the booth at the Rotary International Convention in Chicago—and the Jim Thompson Scholarship, which continues to provide an education for Barat, a student in Nepal.

·         Maintained our status as a Sustaining Club, pledging the equivalent of $100 (US) per club member to the Rotary Foundation—making a donation of $6,500 made, equivalent of $4,800 US or $100 per member made.

·         Completing the Club’s commitment to Polio Plus with last donation of $6,000 this year, totaling $18,000 over three years.

·         Heard the cries for help after a tsunami devastated nations around the Indian Ocean on Boxing Day and supported Rotary’s relief efforts.

The year ended, for some Club members, with a trip to Chicago and Rotary’s Centennial Convention. Barbara Fisk, Barb Bent, Laurie Lantaigne, Peter and June Moore, Ralph and Jane Marziano, Ken and Diane Boyd and my family, Pam, Tim and Kathleen wrapped up our Rotary year with thousands of other Rotarians in celebration of Rotary’s first 100 years. For myself, watching the four Centenary bells enter the convention hall and being rung in unison to start the convention was a moment of deep emotion.

No leader stands alone, and the Centennial Board was a significant factor in making 2004-05 a year of celebration, and so I thank: President-Elect Laurie Lantaigne, Past-President Ken Boyd, Secretary Darlene Carpenter, Treasurer Barbara Fisk, Community Services Ralph Marziano, Vocational Services Director Liz Fisk, Club Services Wayne Hong and International Services Peggy Anderson-Coats.

It was my privilege to serve the Rotary Club of Guelph-Trillium during the 2004-2005 Rotary year.  What the Club accomplished was accomplished together through the selfless dedication of Club member’s dedication and devotion to Rotary and its ideals.

So when the Club looks back on the 2004-05 Rotary year, my hope is that we remember how well we celebrated Rotary’s 100^th anniversary.