The Summerside Rotary Club had the pleasure of hosting Jeff Poirier, VP and GM at StandardAero, as our guest speaker.

During his talk, Jeff shared powerful insights into leadership and growth, giving us a glimpse into the resilience and vision required to guide such a dynamic organization forward. His commitment to excellence and strategic vision at StandardAero is truly inspiring.

After surviving a serious accident, he has become a passionate advocate within our community.

Jeff’s dedication to inspiring others and his efforts to connect with those who have faced similar tragedies speak volumes about his character. His desire to give back and make a difference, both in business and in the lives of others, is what true leadership is all about.

On October 26, we came together at the Rotary Club of Summerside for our annual “Pumpkins for Polio” fundraiser. With the incredible carvings by Tara Maddix and the skillful auctioneer Dave Anderson, we are very proud to report that we raised over $15,000 for this essential cause.

Polio is a highly infectious disease that primarily impacts young children and can lead to paralysis. Since 1985, Rotary International has been a driving force in the global effort to eradicate polio through its PolioPlus program, contributing over $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to achieve a remarkable 99.9% reduction in polio cases worldwide.

If you’re inspired to learn more, feel free to reach out. Our DMs are always open!

We extend our congratulations to Holly MacDonald, the recipient of the 2024/25 Easter Seals Workplace Readiness Scholarship of $2,000, funded by Sun Life Canada. Holly, from Summerside, is a second-year student in UPEI's Bachelor of Music Education program. She was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Grade 12 and believes that her recent diagnosis is aiding her studies and plans for the future.

“I have embraced my diagnosis and am proud to say I am making wonderful progress as a musician, with hopes to one day practice music therapy as my career," says Holly.

Recently, she underwent surgeries on her Achilles tendons, a common condition associated with her diagnosis. Holly is grateful for this scholarship, as it will allow her to focus on her studies and recovery. Congratulations, Holly!

The City of Summerside Celebrates Our Acadian History with the Unveiling of a New Downtown Mural!

On Friday, October 25, a stunning new mural was unveiled in Downtown Summerside. This mural, a reproduction of Claude Picard’s artwork titled “Irony of History: England, First Nation to Salute the Acadian Flag,” commemorates the first time the Acadian flag was flown at sea in Summerside Harbour in 1884.

The mural, measuring 13x17 feet, is located on the exterior of the Summerside Seafood Supreme building and celebrates a significant moment in Acadian history.

The Summerside Rotary club wants to send a huge thank you to Peter McLaughlin, President & Managing Partner at Anne of Green Gables Chocolates, for joining the Summerside Rotary Club as a guest speaker!

Peter - your insights into the world of entrepreneurship and local business success were inspiring and truly appreciated by everyone in attendance.

Thank you for sharing your journey and for your ongoing support of our community!

Today, we take a moment to recognize the family of the late Joel Kennedy who sadly passed away in June. We want to thank them for choosing Easter Seals PEI as the charity of choice for memorial donations in his honour.

Monique, Joel’s loving wife, told us her husband always had a special place in his heart for Easter Seals as his sister, Nella Anne Kennedy, was the 1986 Ambassador or “Tammy” as it was called back then.

“His family was everything to him and we often spoke about Nella being involved with Easter Seals,” says Monique. "That was forty years ago and every year during the ambassador school tour Joel would say how that experience helped her blossom.”

We thank Joel and his family for remembering Easter Seals.

We are incredibly grateful to have had Nancy Marie Arsenault, Executive Director of Hospice PEI, as our guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Summerside. Nancy’s insights into the compassionate care provided by Hospice PEI deeply resonated with our members, and her dedication to supporting individuals and families during life's most challenging times is truly inspiring.

Thank you, Nancy, for sharing your time, expertise, and passion with us. Your work brings comfort and support to so many, and we are honored to have learned more about the impact of Hospice PEI in our community.

For more on the essential services offered by Hospice PEI, please visit hospicepei.ca.

Meeting Chair, Rotarian Keith Tanton

Did you know ShelterBox has helped over 2.5 million people by delivering emergency shelter and supplies to families in need?

Well it was news to some of our newer Rotary members as well.

The Summerside Rotary Club would like to thank our guest speaker today - Derek Nicholson for coming up to Summerside to chat about the amazing work that the ShelterBox provides.

From earthquakes to floods, they provide life-saving tools like tents and solar lights to help rebuild communities.

This presentation was especially dear to our hearts as Rotary is a partner of the ShelterBox program, working to ensures no family is left without a home after disaster strikes.

Want to learn more about ShelterBox? head to shelterbox.org, or reach out to Derek Nicholson!

Want to catch the next Rotary meeting? Reach out to us!

Meeting Chair - Rotarian Glenna Lohnes

Yoshihiro, the Rotary Club of Summerside's youth exchange student, presented our club with a trading banner. He also had a lapel pin for each member from his home country, Japan. Thanks, Yoshihiro, for sharing a piece of your home with us!

RCS welcomes Mitch Shea, CEO of Summerside Port Corporation Inc., as our guest speaker on September 17th. Mitch serves as the Chief Executive Officer and continues to enjoy the day-to-day operations of PEI’s commercial port while working toward an even brighter future for the Corporation and Summerside Waterfront. Thanks, Mitch, for joining us. Rotarian David Anderson served as Meetings Chair.

Gotta luv this! We received an email from Ms. Lauren Ryder Key, a teacher at SIS, with an attached poster. I want to thank Hanah and Shelby Lynn, 9th grade students from SIS, for creating this amazing poster to promote The Rotary Club of Summerside's Book Sale for Literacy.

The Rotary Club of Summerside's 24th Annual Charity Golf Classic was held on a beautiful day at the Mill River Resort, with participants eagerly gathering to compete and show their support for the Prince County Hospital Foundation. This year's winners, who demonstrated exceptional skill and sportsmanship with a score of 54, are Collin Rayner, Jamie Rayner, Kenny Fraser and Tyson Gavin, representing Kildare Fisheries LTD. The "Earl Cannon Award" was sponsored by Key Murray Law.
Congratulations!!

We are thrilled to announce that the book-sorting process is now complete. The Rotary Club of Summerside's Book Sale for Literacy will be held from Thursday, September 19th to the 21st at the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club in Summerside. We would like to extend a huge thank-you to everyone who generously donated books over the past few days. We have received a substantial number of books. We also want to express our deep appreciation to the volunteers who helped us with sorting the books. This event is a vital fundraiser for Literacy in our area and has become an annual community event that is eagerly anticipated and well-supported.

On Tuesday, September 10th, Lisa Vanduinkerken chaired the meeting. We were honoured to have Geoff Goodyear from the Rotary Club of Happy Valley-Goose Bay as our guest speaker. Geoff spoke about the valuable work being done and the support received from Rotary International to provide life-saving dialysis machines in remote areas.

On Friday, an exciting and heartwarming day unfolded at Wedgewood Manor as CBC prepared to interview key players in the Rotary Trishaw Project. The interview will be aired on Compass on Tuesday, September 10.

It's all about three amazing community organizations: Summerset Manor, Wedgewood Manor, and Community Connection. Each receives two trishaws—a taxi-style one and a wheelchair-compatible one.

The Rotary Club of Summerside initiated the project with a $36,000 donation. This, combined with contributions from the provincial Active Transportation Fund and private donations, has raised $99,000 to purchase the six Trishaws.

The Rotary Club of Summerside is pleased to welcome 16-year-old Yoshihiro Hachijo, a Rotary Exchange student from Hiroshima City, Japan. For the first few months of his stay on PEI, Yoshihiro will live in Summerside with his host family, Jason Reid and Lindsay MacLeod.

The Rotary Youth Exchange program offers students aged 15-19 the opportunity to learn a new language, explore different cultures, and become global citizens. This program is sponsored by Rotary clubs in over 100 countries and has been running for more than 40 years, officially becoming a program in 1975.

A huge thanks to Greg Donald, for taking the time to speak to

our Club members on Tuesday, September 3rd. Greg is an Agrologist and has been the General Manager of the PEI Potato Board since 2009. Previously, he held positions in the agriculture industry with both McCain Foods and Cavendish Agri-Services. Special thanks to meeting Chair Rotarian Wayne Thompson for inviting Greg to speak. Also in the photo is Rotarian President Les MacLean.

Rotarian Mike Mann welcomes New Member Andrew Brown, Century 21 Realtor. Andrew distinguishes himself as a leading realtor in Prince Edward Island, renowned for his deep understanding of the market, vast networking reach, and steadfast dedication to delivering tailor-made services that surpass client expectations. His impressive history of successful deals, combined with a heartfelt enthusiasm for assisting clients in fulfilling their property ambitions, solidifies Andrew as the preferred realtor for a premier experience in Prince Edward Island real estate.

We thank Rotarian Thane Smallwood for inviting Trevor Spinney, President of CMP (Charlottetown Metal Products), to speak at our August 20th breakfast meeting.
CMP designs and manufactures food processing equipment that ensures the safety of millions of people worldwide daily. For over 60 years, CMP has been dedicated to creating, manufacturing, and installing food processing equipment that meets and often exceeds the hygiene standards required by some of the world's largest food processors.

Thank you all for your patience! We have secured a venue for our book sale in September. Many of you have been asking about the location and times of the sale, as well as where and when you can donate books. Please help spread the word to your family and friends. Your support is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to seeing you in September!

It was a pleasure having Ken Trenholm from S.A.F.E. Summerside as our guest speaker on August 13th. We would like to extend our thanks to meeting Chair Bill Thompson for inviting Ken to our breakfast meeting.

During our breakfast meeting on August 6th, Adam Binkley, Executive Director, and David Woodside, Communication Designer of the BGC Prince County—Summerside Club, shared valuable insights with us. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn directly from well-respected organizations in our community. Special thanks to Meeting Chair Keith Tanton for extending the invitation.

The Rotary Club of Summerside will be hosting its 15th Annual Book Sale for Literacy from September 19th to September 21st. This event is one of the most well-known and highly anticipated events in Summerside and its surrounding areas. It wouldn't be possible without the hard work of the book sale committee, which includes Chairperson Sandy Rundle, Jaclyn Waite, Bruce McDonald and Club President Les MacLean.

On July 16th, we were happy to host our friends from BBEMA, who shared their expertise on preserving and protecting our environment. We always appreciate their information. Thanks to Chair Ron McConnell for inviting them to join us.

The Rotary Club of Summerside was pleased to partner with the Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce, PEI, to host the Inaugural Rotary and Chamber Business Community Lobster Luncheon on July 12. The event featured guest speaker Honorable Perrin Beatty.

We thank everyone who attended, including our sponsors, Key Murray Law and MRSB Group. The event's proceeds were donated to Junior Achievement PEI.

Rotarian and Past President Chad Mann welcomes Brian Stewart, President and Owner of RedFox Consulting Inc., as a new member of the Summerside Rotary Club. We are thrilled to have Brian join us. His dedication and commitment to service will undoubtedly positively impact our organization and the community we serve.

Another busy meeting! Tuesday morning's meeting, chaired by Thane Smallwood, began with our guest speaker, Ben Parsons, co-owner/operator of Dalmac Printing, Signage, and Cresting. We also welcomed Brian Stewart, President and Owner of RedFox Consulting Inc., as a new member.

The Rotary Club of Summerside is pleased to announce its recent donation of $100,000 to the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club to purchase new curling stones. The stones are expected to arrive in October for the 2024-2025 season. The new rocks will enable the Curling club to host major events, with two events already planned for 2025. In addition, the donation will free up resources for the club to allocate towards other initiatives to support its members and the community it serves.

The Rotary Club of Summerside has a rich history of fostering community initiatives and is proud of the services it provides. The club operates the Inspire Learning Center, a centre of knowledge and creativity in our community, and was instrumental in creating the Rotary Park in Summerside, a testament to our commitment to green spaces and community recreation. We also contribute to the Prince County Hospital Foundation each year, along with youth program initiatives, to name a few. We are committed to continuing our efforts to make our community a better place for everyone.

The Rotary Club of Summerside has 45 active members and meets every Tuesday morning at Slemon Park.

The Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club board member Tim Hockin accepts the donation from Past President and Rotarian Chad Mann. Also in photo is Danny Goss, General Manager of the Silver Fox Entertainment Complex.

On June 13th, Summerside Intermediate hosted its third "Rotary Book Day." Students in grades 7-9 from SIS, Athena, Miscouche, KISH, Kinkora, and Amherst Cove received a new book to read over the summer. The Rotary Club of Summerside donated $11,000 for the purchase of 952 books. This event wouldn't have been possible without the hard work and vision of the SIS Literacy Club. Special thanks to the Literacy Advisors, led by Mrs. Key, Mrs. Langille, Mrs. Silliker, Mrs. Johnson, and Mrs. Boyd. Thank you for all that you do to promote literacy for our youth! Photos provided by SIS

On Tuesday, June 11th, Rotarian Derek Key welcomed guest speakers Derek Bondt, the Vice President of Prince County Hospital Foundation, and Paul Young, the Chief Operating Officer for the new Faculty of Medicine. We thank them both for taking the time to come and speak with us; it was very informative, thank you!

Thanks to all who attended our Discover Rotary event. Special thanks to Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Summerside for their excellent service and to Past Rotary President Randy Cannon for organizing the event.

The Rotary Club of Summerside members thank outgoing President Chad Mann for his leadership during the 2023/2024 Rotary year. Chad's dedication to service has significantly impacted our community. Under Chad's guidance, our club has remained active and continues to have a lasting impact on our community and beyond. He introduced fresh ideas, promoted collaboration, and nurtured an inclusive environment where everyone felt welcome and appreciated. Chad has handed over a thriving club to incoming President Les MacLean.

Thank you, President Chad, for a fantastic year in Rotary!

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS IN ROTARY
The Rotary Club of Summerside recognized Al Frost, Wayne Carew, and Les Chipperfield at the president's dinner on May 28th for their 40 years of service to Rotary. These three individuals' tireless dedication and hard work have brought about significant improvements in our community and beyond. Their unwavering commitment has played a crucial role in shaping a better world for everyone.

Rotary Club of Summerside's Paul Harris Fellowship Recognition

The Paul Harris Fellow recognition is an acknowledgment of individuals who have made a significant contribution or have had contributions made in their name totalling $1,000 or more to The Rotary Foundation. This honour celebrates their commitment to supporting the foundation's humanitarian efforts and positively impacting their communities worldwide. This year's recognitions go to Jaclyn Waite, Bruce Macdonald, Dr. Richard Wedge, Gerard Greenan, Wayne Thompson and John Maynard.

The Rotary Club of Summerside is pleased to announce that it will once again award bursaries to local students this year. Graduating students from Three Oaks Senior High School will receive scholarships from the Rotary Club of Summerside in recognition of their significant improvement in overall performance during their senior year.

We want to thank Neil MacLean of NAPA Auto Parts for his generous sponsorship of this program. Also, we want to thank the Rotary STRIVE committee for their guidance and mentorship of these students over the past few months. Special thanks to Tara Maddix, Glenna Lohnes, Andrea Wile, Jill Kelly Waugh, and TOSH Student Counselor Shelly Schurman for their contribution to this program.

Calling all members of the PEI business community!

Join the Rotary Club of Summerside and the GSCC for the Rotary & Chamber Business Community Lobster Luncheon this July. We aim to enhance our economic impact in PEI and promote growth in our exceptional business community. We are excited to announce that the keynote speaker for this event will be the Honourable Perrin Beatty, PC, OC, President, and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

Join us for an informative luncheon as we come together to celebrate PEI's business community.

Date: July 12th

Time: 12-1

Location: Credit Union Place

Cost: $100 (tax included)

To register, click HERE

Proceeds from this event will go to JA Prince Edward Island to support our youth in business!

We had a busy program during our Rotary meeting on May 21, chaired by Bill Martin. It was great to have Matt MacFarlane, MLA for District 19, Borden-Kinkora, as our guest speaker this morning.

On Tuesday, May 21, we were pleased to have Campbell McNeil and Madison Brown join us. The Rotary Club of Summerside is sending Campbell and Madison to Ottawa next week to take part in the Adventure in Citizenship program. Also Deacon Maddix, a 10th-grade student at TOSH, joined us. The Rotary Club of Summerside sponsored Deacon to participate in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards in Sussex, NB.

It was a pleasure to have Don McDougall, owner-operator of Mill River Resort, speak at Rotary. Don served as president of Labatt Brewing Company. He was appointed a member of the Order of Canada for his visionary leadership as the founding director of the Toronto Blue Jays and for his entrepreneurship and philanthropy, to name a few of his lifetime accomplishments. In the photo from left to right are Rotarian and Mayor Dan Kutcher, Dr. Don McDougall (Hon), Meeting Chair, Rotarian Glenna Lohnes, and Rotary President Chad Mann, CEO ADL.

The Easter Seals Ambassador, Lucie Gallant, visited 66 schools across the Island in just 6 days. On the last day, she visited schools from Crapaud to Mischouche, and ended her tour at Ècole-Sur-Mer in Summerside, which happens to be Lucie's own school. It was truly amazing to witness the cheers, smiles, hugs, and sheer excitement of the students as Lucie entered each school.

During our Rotary breakfast meeting this morning, Rotarian Sandy Rundle invited Andrea Wile, RN and co-owner of the Butcher Shop in Summerside, to give her classification talk. Andrea's story was impressive and inspiring, and we are thrilled to have her as a member.

Thank you, Andrea!

During our early morning breakfast meeting on April 16th, Randy Cannon, the meeting Chair, welcomed AinZ, the Outreach and Engagement Coordinator of the United Way of PEI. AinZ updated us on how the United Way of PEI and its funding partners are working to combat poverty in PEI.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to this organization for all their hard work!

We were delighted to have these three young men from Three Oaks Senior High School with us on Tuesday, April 9th. Campbell McNeil, Isaac MacLean, and Ethan Reeves are co-founders of The Train Station podcast. They came up with the idea for their podcast after attending the 34th Annual Rotary Youth Parliament. The podcast aims to educate younger generations about current world issues that impact our community without bias or propaganda. Thanks to Jill Kelly Waugh for inviting them to join us.

During our meeting on April 2, Chairperson Wayne Thompson

welcomed Don Sword, the District Governor. Don joined us virtually with a

"Your Legacy, Rotary's Promise" presentation.

Welcome to the Rotary Club of Summerside, Kaley O'Brien! We are thrilled to have you as a new member. Your dedication and commitment to service will undoubtedly make a positive impact on our organization and the local community.
President Chad Mann, Kaley O'Brien and Derek Key.

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Thank you to Culture Summerside and the The City of Summerside for awarding our Annual Booksale the Cultural Activity Award. Over the years, the booksale has raised money to support literacy in our area.

Rotarian Jaclyn Waite has accepted the award for the Rotary Club of Summerside at the Mayor's Heritage Tea on Friday.

On Tuesday, March 12th, Rotarian John Maynard welcomed guest speaker Brian Stewart, owner and operator of Red Fox Consulting, a business consulting and services firm. We thank Brian for taking time out of his busy schedule to join us.

To all the women out there, we want to take a moment to acknowledge your strength, resilience, and contributions to our world. You are leaders, caregivers, innovators, and so much more. Your hard work and dedication have helped to shape our society and make it a better place for all of us. On this International Women's Day and every day, we celebrate you and stand with you in the fight for gender equality and women's rights. Keep shining your light and breaking down barriers. You are appreciated and valued beyond measure.

Rotarian Andrea Wile congratulates Darcy Gallant on having the winning ticket; Darcy takes home a $5,000 Mardi Gras travel voucher! The draw took place during the Rotary's Mardi Gras Curling Funspiel.

Rotarian Blair Dunn welcomed Rotarian Bruce Mcdonald, President of BCM Consulting Inc., as his guest speaker on Tuesday, March 5th. It is always a pleasure to hear from our fellow Rotarians. Thank you, Bruce!

What an amazing few days! We thank everyone who participated in the 2024 Rotary Mardi Gras Funspiel. The event was a resounding success, with a sold-out crowd and loads of fun. Although it is a funspiel, and fun is the main focus, there is always a winner, and this year's champion was Team BMO. David MacFadyen (Skip), Patrick McSweeney (missing from the photo are Dale Burton and Josh Lauwerijssen). Also in the photo is Neil MacLean, NAPA Auto Parts - Mardi Gras Sponsor.

What would a Mardi Gras be without Costumes? Thanks to all the teams who took the time to come up with some great costumes. The Best Costume winners for 2024 are Team Cavendish Farms. Congrats!

Ryan Lawlor, Kent MacKay, Grath Thompson, Phil Hamlin (in no particular order)

Last night marked the beginning of the Mardi Gras Curling Funspiel. Thank you to all teams participating this year! Please find attached the winning number for the 50/50 ticket.

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We are happy to announce that our Mardi Gras Curling Funspiel has sold out! This wouldn't have been possible without the support of our generous sponsors and the dedication of those who signed up teams.

If you missed out, don't worry - we have a waiting list available. You can join the list, and we'll let you know if a spot becomes available. You can find the list at the Silver Fox Entertainment Complex.

The Rotary Club of Summerside's website will post draw times on Friday, February 23rd

Rotarian Gord Coffin and The Rotary Club of Summerside were pleased to have Gerry Reichheld, Summerside Farmer's Market, as our guest speaker. Gerry has been associated with the Market since its opening in 2008.

Les Chipperfield from the Rotary Club of Summerside thanked Jay Gallagher for speaking at the breakfast meeting on Feb 6. Jay is the CEO and Founder of @Fuel Your Body, a healthy meal delivery service.

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The Summerside Rotary Club is pleased to have representatives from Make A Wish Foundation speak to our club. The photo includes Alex Johnston, Samantha Gallant, meeting chair and Rotarian Wayne Carew, and Trisha Mossey.

The Summerside Rotary Club is pleased to introduce three new members. Barb Hunter, Andrea Wile, and Ron McConnell. Welcoming the new members are club President Chad Mann, Rotarian Paul Power and Past President Randy Cannon.

The Rotary Club of Summerside was delighted to have Mary Dennis, the Executive Director of the Harbourfront Theatre, as our guest speaker. Mary has been associated with the theatre since its inauguration in 1996 and has held various senior positions there. For most of her 27-year tenure, she has served as the Director of Operations.

The Summerside Rotary Club was pleased to have Jeff Minten Executive Director of Atlantic Police Academy. Dave Anderson meeting Chair welcomes Jeff to our morning meeting.

Long-time member Wayne Carew provided the Summerside Rotary Club with a classification talk during their breakfast meeting. Lisa Vanduinkerken, the Meeting Chair, welcomed him.

On October 17th, the Summerside Rotary Club had the pleasure of hosting Karla Bernard, interim leader of the Green Party of Prince Edward Island and MLA, as our guest speaker. Bill Thompson, the meeting chair, welcomed Karla to our breakfast meeting. During her talk, Karla addressed topics such as housing, healthcare, and population growth in PEI.

Team ADL was the winning team at the 23rd Annual Rotary Golf Tournament. John Maynard presented the Earl Cannon trophy to Todd Richard and Stephen Gaudet. The title sponsor, Fitzgerald and Snow and proceeds go to the PCH Foundation.

Big thanks to sponsors, volunteers and golfers who attended the event today in Mill River! Stay tuned for more!!

Dr. Richard Wedge's guest speaker was Mayor Dan Kutcher, City of Summerside. Mayor Dan updated us on his progress since taking on the role of Mayor almost a year ago!

Fantastic morning for our weekly gathering! Thank you to Sarah Denman-Wood, SHIFT Project Manager, Workplace Sexual Harassment. Sarah gave an insightful and engaging presentation to our group this morning. #sexualharassment #rotaryinternational #rotaryclub

President Chad Mann was pleased to meet Paul Arbo, President of the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman Central. They exchanged banners at Lone Oak in Avonlea Village and enjoyed a great evening of fellowship and Prince Edward Island hospitality.

It is with great pleasure that President Chad Mann welcomes Nicolas Waeber, our first-to-arrive exchange student hailing from Switzerland. As we embark on this exciting journey of cultural exchange, we also bid farewell to Lucie Mills, our outgoing exchange student, as she embarks on her own adventure in Italy for the upcoming year.

It is worth noting that all students in this program are proudly sponsored by the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, a collaborative effort among Rotary clubs worldwide. Through this program, students have the privilege of spending a year abroad and are graciously hosted by sponsor families. We express our sincere gratitude to all involved in making this program a tremendous success and wish our students all the best in their endeavours.

Over the course of the past 23 years, the Rotary Club of Summerside Charity Golf Classic has been a steadfast supporter of our community, raising an incredible amount of money exceeding $1,000,000. Their generous donations have gone towards various initiatives, including a notable $250,000 contribution to the Prince County Hospital. The Rotary Club of Summerside is grateful for the unwavering support of all their donors, and they cannot wait to host another successful event this coming September 13th at the Mill River Resort.

We extend our thanks to Dr. Scott Mollins, the meeting Chair, for inviting Shona Pottinger to speak as our guest.

Shona Pottinger, the founder of Singing Sands Music Therapy, has been providing effective therapeutic services to a diverse clientele since 2010. Her services cater to individuals of all ages and with various conditions, such as Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Autism, Dementia, Alzheimer's, Depression, Stroke, and Global Developmental Delay. With her extensive experience and training, Shona delivers exceptional music therapy services of the highest quality.

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The Summerside Rotary Club welcomed Dr. Sandy MacDonald, President and CEO of Holland College, as our guest speaker on August 8th. Rotarian and meeting chair Boyce Murphy invited Dr. MacDonald as his guest speaker.

Earlier today, we had the honour of welcoming Kaley O'Brien, CEO of the Summerside Chamber of Commerce. During her visit, Kaley shared some innovative and collaborative strategies she and her team have been implementing and refining. Her leadership has resulted in higher levels of cooperation and joint efforts among her membership, as well as benefiting the Summerside and Island community as a whole. We express our gratitude to Kaley for her valuable contribution.

On January 9, 2023, R. Gordon R. McInally, the President-elect of Rotary International, delivered a message to the members to inspire them to aim for possibilities that go far beyond what we currently expect. During the Rotary International Assembly held in Orlando, Florida, USA, McInally, a member of the Rotary Club of South Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland, announced the presidential theme for 2023-24: Create Hope in the World. He encouraged members to work towards promoting peace in troubled nations, supporting those affected by conflict, and continuing the initiatives that past leaders have started.

On Tuesday July 18th, the Rotary Club of Summerside had the honor of hosting Tyler DesRoches as our guest speaker. Tyler was born and raised in Summerside and now calls District 21, Summerside-Wilmot, his home. He graduated from the University of Prince Edward Island and was elected as the MLA for District 21 on April 3rd, 2023.

Tyler has been an active member of the community for many years, serving as a Summerside City Councillor and helping to oversee the installation of the Credit Union Place solar farm, the development of a community splash park, and Summerside's first fully accessible playground at Billy Bridges Park. He has also been a member of the Summerside Fire Department for two decades, serving as a Lieutenant.

In addition to his civic duties, Tyler is also involved in local sports as a minor hockey coach, a harness racing owner, trainer, and driver, and as President of the Prince County Horsemen's Club. He is a family man, residing on Read Drive with his wife Jillian and their daughter Olivia. We extend our sincere thanks to Tyler for his informative and engaging presentation.

Summerside Intermediate School (SIS) hosted its second annual Rotary Club of Summerside Book Day on June 23, which was a fun event for both the faculty and students. Every student received a brand new book to enjoy during the summer break.
This event gives us the opportunity to foster a deeper connection with the students and promote the joy of reading.
We extend our sincere appreciation to Mrs. Key, Mrs. Silliker, and Mrs. Boyd, whose unwavering dedication to literacy made this event possible.

The Summerside Rotary Club expresses gratitude to Randy Cannon for his service as President for the 2022-2023 term. We extend a warm welcome to Chad Mann, who will assume the role of President on July 1st for the 2023-2024 year. During the President's Dinner held recently, there was much to honour and commemorate from the past year under Randy's guidance. The dedicated efforts of our club members and supporting volunteers have made a positive impact in enhancing our communities both locally and worldwide.

We are pleased to announce that Jeanette Arsenault has been honored with the 2023 Paul Harris Award by the Summerside Rotary Club at the President's reception. In the photo, Jeanette is seen with Past President Randy Cannon and Rotarian Wayne Carew. We invite you to join us in congratulating Jeanette and acknowledging her dedication to the community as a hardworking volunteer and successful business leader.

The Pancake Breakfast Flippers R-L Les Chipperfield, Mayor Kutcher and Keith Tanton. Great job, guys!

Pancake Breakfast Happy customers ! Thanks everyone who attended!

We are excited to be back at the Mill River Resort this year for the 22nd Annual Rotary Golf Charity Classic, supporting the PCH Foundation!

Watch this page for more details and exciting news about the tournament.

If you want to enter a team, send us a message through Facebook.

- Yours in Rotary.

Rotarian Glenna Lohnes welcomes guest speaker Andrew Clark to our August 9th breakfast meeting. Andrew is a competitive ultimate frisbee and disc golf player, Vice-President of Disc Golf PEI and the Captain of the Party Sharks Ultimate Frisbee team.

Bike To Rotary

Bike to Rotary encourages those members who can to attend the weekly Rotary Sunrise meeting by bicycle; this initiative aims to highlight the benefits of biking to Rotary and biking in general. Biking can reduce carbon emissions, traffic congestion, and help improve lives.

This week Summerside Rotary Club was pleased to welcome this morning’s guest speaker John Smallwood (left) discus a few exciting initiatives in the works at Community Connections.

He is welcomed by Bill Martin member of the Summerside club.

We are always happy to see the return of summer residents to PEI; Dan Gallant is one of them. This morning we had the pleasure of listening to Dan speak to us about his life's journey, which has taken him all over Canada from tip to tip. Also, Dan is a long-time proud member of the Rotary Club of Port Moody, British Columbia. He is an active volunteer in the Rotary World Help, not for profit organization; this organization gathers and sends medical, dental, optical, education, sports equipment and disaster relief supplies all over the world to those with the greatest needs. In 2012 they passed their first major milestone when the estimated value of the goods shipped passed 100 Million dollars!

This week we were joined at our business meeting by Lauren Key and Kelly Boyd from Summerside Intermediate School.

This past year, with financial support from the Summerside Rotary Club, Lauren, Kelly and the SIS Student Literacy Club created Rotary Book Day!

It was a wild success to see so many young people excited about reading!

Meeting Chairperson Glenna Lohnes invited Ken Driscoll of Higher Design Media and recently of a new technology company named Sofishtofish. Ken spoke to us about an innovative hardware/software fishing product combination called Lobtrack that is being created, designed and tested right here in PEI.

Recently at our breakfast meeting, we were joined by PEI Easter Seals Ambassador Vaeda Zo Matheson. At the same breakfast Rotarian, Bill Martin was presented with his Easter Seals National Volunteer Award. Congrats Bill and thanks for speaking with us Vaeda!

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This week's meeting Chair Dave Anderson invited Spencer Long from the PEI Energy Corporation to discuss the ongoing and exciting transition to more sustainable forms of energy generation here in PEI. Spencer also helped us understand what is happening at the Slemon Park Megawatt Solar Farm project under construction just down the road from our meeting spot! A few of us stopped by the Solar Farm under construction (photo shown in this post).

May 9th-15th is PEI's Family Violence Prevention Week.

Last week our club members were very fortunate to learn from and speak with the incredibly knowledgable Danya O'Malley, Chair of the Premiers Action Committee on Family Violence Prevention, Executive Director of Family Violence Prevention Services and Chair of Family Violence Prevention Week.

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This week we heard from the incredible Sarah Bennetto O'Brien, CEO and Founder of the Handpie Company.

Ms. Bennetto O'Brien shared her entrepreneurial journey with us - starting small and thinking big, taking intelligent risks, working tirelessly on her business and people - and spoke about the recent expansion plans for the Handpie Company.

Our STRIVE committee was busy this week meeting with students at Three Oaks Senior High. Each year the Rotary Club presents Strive scholarships to Three Oaks students who take a renewed interest in the value of their education.

The focus of the scholarship is on the individual student and their commitment to maintaining or improving their marks allowing them to graduate and attend post-secondary school, despite the obstacles they face.

From left to right: Rotarian & Teacher Jim Donovon, Rotarian Glenna Lohnes, Rotarian Bill Martin, Rotarian Tara Madix and Rotarian & Teacher Tim Hockin.

Congratulations, to Paul Moynagh with the winning two tickets anywhere WestJet flies. Ticket #169

Also, a HUGE thank you to everyone who supported this draw. While you may not be jetting off on vacation, you are supporting the STRIVE scholarship for deserving Three Oaks Students who are facing challenges outside the classroom.

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Special thanks to Shawn MCCarvill, President, Slemon Park Corporation, Summerside, for joining us on February 15th and telling the story of the beloved Buffalo aircraft and its arrival to Summerside.

September 2021, Nancy Russel reported, "It was a moment for the history books. Thursday afternoon in Summerside, P.E.I., as a CC-115 Buffalo made one last fly over the city and touched down on the runway at Slemon Park, completing its final flight."

The Buffalo CC-115, known as "Buff," is displayed in Slemon Park, Summerside.

Special thanks to Hon. Bloyce Thompson, for joining us during our virtual Sunrise meeting on February 8. Hon. Thompson is the Minister of Agriculture and Land, Minister of Justice and Public Safety, and Attorney General for Prince Edward Island.

We welcomed Ann Worth to our zoom meeting. Ann recently joined Cushman & Wakefield Atlantic to service the province of Prince Edward Island. Her insights as a business owner and economic developer were valuable and informative.

This week our club was very lucky to hear from the unstoppable PEI Easter Seals Ambassador Vaeda Zo Matheson.

Vaeda has been inspiring Islanders in her role as PEI Ambassador since 2019. We have our fingers crossed that pandemic restrictions will enable her to crisscross the Island on the school tour this spring!

This week we welcomed Dr. Stanley Kutcher, Senator for the Province of Nova Scotia and internationally renowned expert on child and adolescent mental health, to speak with our club via zoom. The talk and follow-up Q&A session was very engaging, insightful and informative. Many notes were taken and thoughtful questions asked before we ran out of time. Thank you Dr. Kutcher for joining us (wish we had recorded that!) and happy holidays.

'Rotarian in Action' Bill Martin, Chair of our Community Services Committee and Chair of Easter Seals PEI, visited the new Cavendish Farms Community Events Centre on behalf of Summerside Rotary Club members. Bill was there to present $20,000.00 to Kyle Maynard and Rachel Noye, key members of the Centre fundraising committee.

The money is specifically allocated for inclusive barrier free accessibility to the community room and for washrooms - to help everyone enjoy the Centre by taking into account the diverse and unique needs of all users, regardless of abilities.

This comes from Easter Seals PEI (a project of the Rotary Clubs of Summerside, Charlottetown and Montague), the Summerside Rotary Foundation and the general funds of the Summerside Rotary Club.

The Rotary Club of Summerside would like to thank Jaclyn Waite for taking the lead as president during the very challenging year 2020 - 2021!

We welcome Dr. Angela Arsenault as she steps into the role, and we look forward to her leadership.
Past President Jaclyn Waite (right)

Dr. Angela Arsenault President 2021 - 2022 (left)

President's Dinner 2021 Inspire Learning presentations

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We welcomed Greg Donald, General Manager of the PEI Potato Board, to our weekly breakfast meeting last Tuesday. The sector plays a key role in the Island economy. Have a safe and successful planting season this Spring!

Rotarian Bruce Macdonald was busy delivering

"Tablets for Seniors" as part of the Rotary Club of Summerside's initiative

Rotary stayed active via Zoom during the

lockdown period.

Summerside Rotary Club fulfilling International Commitments during Global Pandemic.

The Rotary Club of Summerside heard a classification speech from one of our newest members, Keith Tanton, (right) this past week. Keith will be a great asset to the club. Sponsoring member, Les MacLean, (left) .

One of our newest members, Zenaida Saldanha, gave her classification talk to the club. Zenaida’s journey has taken her from Mumbai to Dubai to PEI! She and her husband, Glenn, own and operate Z&G’s Specialty Fusion Cuisine Inc. in Summerside. Zenaida is an excellent addition to the club and a definite asset for the community!

The Rotary Club of Summerside - in genuine Christmas spirit - donated 10,000 masks to the Prince County Hospital. The Rotary Club also provided non-medical masks to a few local high schools, including Kinkora Regional High and Three Oaks Senior High

Dan Kutcher (left) and two others, Zenaida Saldanha and Keith Tanton, were welcomed as new members of the Rotary Club of Summerside on Tuesday, November 3rd.

Dan was the first to give his Classification Presentation; he touched on four areas of interest: work and civil service, family, travel and his love of the outdoors.

His life's journey to this point has been exciting and full of diverse experiences and unforgettable memories.

Thanks, Dan, and welcome to Rotary!

Also in the photo is the meeting Chairperson Al Frost (right)

It was a delight to have one of our own Rotarians tell us about his time in Japan.

Tim Hockin took a leave of absence from teaching at Three Oaks Senior High school to accompany his wife Nao back to her homeland. It was an opportunity to spend time with her family and allow their daughter Rina to experience, embrace and learn about her heritage.

His adventure is a beautiful story!

Thanks for sharing, Tim Hockin, and it's good to have you back!

True Rotarian Award 2021

The "True Rotarian" is the foundation of Rotary is always contributing to the Club by any measure and is the lifeblood of Rotary.

The qualities and traits of a True Rotarian are said to be someone who:

- Acts through goodwill and a belief that the world will be a better place as a result of their work in Rotary

- Has a Rotary Attitude

- Lives the 4 Way Test at all times

- Is humble, does not flatter wealth, or boast of their possessions or achievements

- Speaks with frankness - yet with sincerity and sympathy - and after having expressed an opinion, supports the activities of others even if the direction may not be parallel with their thinking

The Rotary Club of Summerside is very fortunate to have a diverse membership with many dedicated Rotarians. This year's recipient of the True Rotarian Award certainly exemplifies the desired qualities of the award and is a respected member of our Club and in our community.

We are pleased to announce that this year's True Rotarian Award recipient is Rotarian Paul Matheson.

Paul's contribution to "Service Above Self" is remarkable and commendable. He is always ready to lend a hand and has done just that in various ways since becoming a member of the Rotary Club of Summerside in 1994. He has rolled up his sleeves and volunteered in many fundraising events and club activities. He is always quick to respond when asked for help or advice and he has a "get the job done" attitude. He offers a sincere dedication to anything he gets involved with, which is noted and respected by his fellow Rotarians.

Calling all members of the PEI business community!

Bike To Rotary

Leslie MacLean, Manager, Commercial Banking at CIBC