Rotary Club of St. Marys
Welcome to the Rotary Club of St. Marys
St. Marys

Service Above Self

We meet In Person
Mondays at 6:30 p.m.
Rotary Parkview building
22 St. Andrews St. N., St. Marys
Parkview Hall, lower level east entrance
St. Marys, ON N4X 1C5
Canada
2nd & 4th Monday (see MEETINGS below) - attend via Zoom by emailing the Secretary
MEETINGS
Rotary Hall Dinner Meeting
May 12, 2025 6:30 PM
Assembly & MJ Klunder, RYE to Thailand – Rotary peace essay winner
Rotary Hall Dinner Meeting
May 26, 2025 6:30 PM
Speaker - RYLA participant presentations
Rotary Hall Dinner Meeting
Jun 09, 2025 6:30 PM
Location: St Marys Museum - Exhibit 100 Years of Rotary
Rotary Hall Dinner Meeting
Jun 23, 2025 6:30 PM
Speaker - RYE Clara Licops farewell
Home Page Stories
On April 21, Rotarian Diane and her husband, Mike, took Rotary Exchange student Clara on a small farm tour. We began at the Hitching Post and purchased disposable bootees to use on each farm (biosecurity). The next stop was Crunican orchards where Clara admired the many varieties of apples in the farm store and walked briefly in the orchard. Clara was then  introduced to a large milking goat operation. Here she enjoyed the clean airy barns and watched a robot make feed for the animals. Next stop: a large sheep operation where over 100 ewes had just finished lambing. In addition, she met Donkey Bonnie and her new foal. This farm also has a purebred Angus cow-calf operation and the owner kindly had a huge bottle of milk so that Clara could feed a calf that needed extra nourishment. Final stop: a purebred Hereford cow-calf operation. It was a good day - lots of learning. Clara had previously enjoyed a visit to Stonetown Cheese and the dairy operation there. As an advocate for food literacy, Diane was pleased to have the opportunity to introduce Clara to some aspects of agriculture.
 

Presenter: Christy Bannerman
Organization: Alzheimer Society of Perth County
Role: Public Education Coordinator; former crisis mental health counsellor with 20+ years of experience.


Presentation Overview

Christy Bannerman shared insights on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, aiming to increase awareness and foster more dementia-friendly communities. Her talk covered the definitions, prevalence, symptoms, safety issues, and strategies for effective communication and support.

Rotary members arrived to find a colouring book and crayons at each seating place.  The members were invited to be part of a micro-project.  During the meeting, they were to select any page, colour it, and put their name on it.  The colouring books were delivered to St. Marys Memorial Hospital this morning. Staff were delighted with this surprise gift from Rotary. Young children waiting in the ER or spending an overnight at the hospital will now receive a Rotary colouring book to help them pass the time.

Leslie Switzer speaking about Loss Hearts

Leslie Switzer introduced The Loss Hearts Initiative, a project dedicated to providing handmade hearts to people experiencing grief and loss. As a childbirth educator and birth doula, she saw firsthand how pregnancy loss was often overlooked. She began the initiative to offer a tangible symbol of remembrance and comfort to grieving individuals.

Bernie Vandonk
 
Bernie shared a deeply personal journey covering childhood, family, career, and mental health struggles.  Emphasized the importance of mental health awareness, seeking support, and resilience.  Encouraged compassion, checking in on others, and fostering open conversations about mental well-being.  Discussed community involvement and volunteer efforts.
Andrew Middleton made a presentation asking for the club's endorsement of this project as our signature international project to celebrate our 100th anniversary.  The aim of the project at Mugoiri Secondary School 30 miles north of Nairobi, Kenya with 450 students, is to change this:
 
to this:
 
The Rotary Club of St. Marys congratulates Claire Dunbar, our next outbound exchange student! Claire learned this past Thursday evening that she’s been assigned to Denmark. She will leave sometime in August 2025 for her 10-month exchange. Claire is currently a student at St. Marys DCVI.

Hav en god udveksling i Danmark Claire! Vi er alle så stolte af dig!
Club Executives & Directors
President
President Elect
Past President
Secretary
Treasurer
Community Service
Foundation Chair
Membership Chair
Club Administration
Youth Services
Youth Exchange Officer
Director
Sergeant-at-Arms (Prime)
Executive Secretary
Web Administrator
Member Access
Zoom Recordings and Photo Albums
(Member Login Required)
Upcoming Events
Celebrating our Past