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Welcome to the Rotary Club of Simcoe which is located about 11.5 kilometers from the north shore of Lake Erie in the Town of Simcoe, Ontario, Canada. The Club was chartered in 1925 and serves Simcoe, Norfolk County and the world-wide community.

Donate to the Jeff Scott Bursary for the Medical Arts

Donate to the Dr. Gordon Watts Fine Arts Scholarship

Donate to The Rotary Club of Simcoe (Established 1925)

A Series of Photo Collages of The Rotary Club of Simcoe Celebrating it's 100th Anniversary (1925 to 2025)

DOWNLOAD the 2025 Harold Shantz Memorial Rotary Golf Tournament Brochure/Registration

The brochure is a PDF and is fillable.

The tournament organizers are seeking sponsors and foursomes. Must be prepaid by May 15, 2025.

For further information: simcoerotarygolf@gmail.com

JOIN US!

Katelyn Pilgrim Outgoing Exchange Student

March 17, 2025

Story by: C. Richard Campbell

Photograph by: David Ferris

Katelyn Pilgrim is packing her suitcase(s) for a trip to Italy. Where she will be living in Italy for the next year is dependent on the availability of host families. The thawed-out exchange student just back from a winter adventure in Algonquin Park in northern Ontario, spoke to club about her Algonquin experience with other exchange students.

Our young students are Canadian ambassadors who return with the confidence of learning new languages and the customs of other countries.

The Rotary Club of Simcoe has a long history with hosting incoming exchange students and sponsoring outgoing students such as Katlyn.

The Rotary Club of Simcoe and Norfolk General Hospital

March 30, 2025

Story by: C. Richard Campbell

Photography from the Archives

On May 20, 2025, the Norfolk General Hospital will celebrate its 100th Anniversary.

The Rotary Club of Simcoe has been there for NGH from the beginning. Within one month of receiving its charter (April 9, 1925), the club raised $ 6,000.00 "in a whirlwind campaign" for a sunroom addition to the newly opened Norfolk General Hospital.

"It was an auspicious beginning and set a standard that only a determined and Rotary inspired group of men could maintain."

Over almost 100 years, the club and its members have contributed to the hospital by helping to purchase equipment and to its expansion programs. Executive members of the hospital have become Simcoe Rotarians. As individuals, Rotarians have served the hospital as Directors, volunteers, benefactors and fundraisers.

The Norfolk General Hospital is embarking on the establishment of a new campus. A most ambitious undertaking. The Rotary Club of Simcoe shares the pride and joy of being 100 years old. The club will continue its commitment to the hospital that began 100 years ago into the years to come.

Service Above Self

Amber McKnight - Our Newest Member

June 10, 2024

Story by C. Richard Campbell

Photograph by David Ferris

It is now official, The Rotary Club of Simcoe has a new member, Amber McKnight and a piper. Try to match that District 7090. It is going to become pretty lively around her on Robbie Burns day. If she needs reinforcements, she has the Paris Port Dover Pipe Band (including her husband) to back her up.

Dr. McKnight was busy presenting her classification talk, being officially inducting into the Club and receiving her handsome framed membership certificate. Her classification is Optometrist. The Port Dover area resident is a partner in the Simcoe Optometric Clinic. One of her responsibilities is to Chair/Administrator of the Dr. Gord Watts Fine Arts Scholarship. The Scholarship established in 2012 can award $ 1,500.00 scholarships annually. Like many of our Rotarians she has a strong sense of volunteerism, with involvement in community and and international service. The only downside to this story is that she now becomes a valuable addition to the Hadley Jackson Port Dover booster group which keeps promoting Port Dover as the centre of Norfolk County.

President-Elect Ton O'Neill presenting a Membership Certificate to Amber McKnight.

Is there A Gravel Bicycle Trail project in Simcoe Rotary's future?

At our January 6, 2925 meeting, Brenda Andress and Rich Roberts representing Norfolk County presented a proposal for a gravel bicycle trail in the Victoria/Turkey Point area which utilizes unopened County road allowances as a possible Centennial project. Dave Pond of the Turkey Point Mountain Bike Club explained that his club would maintain the trail.

January 13, 2025, Captain Michael Kilpatrick, Marine Pilot, Great Lakes Region,

talked about the age-old profession of piloting. The Port Dover resident obviously enjoys his work. His presentation was delivered with humour and captured the attention of Simcoe Rotarians.

Things that will disappear in the next 20 years!

It did occur to this reporter that he will probably one be one to disappear in the next twenty years..

January 20, 2025, Rotarian and Canon (Anglican Church) Bob Morrow is a cool guy. Not many Canadians have a Canada Space Agency pedigree? Add humour to a mixture of facts, opinions, predictions and you get an interesting thought provoking talk. Have you ever inherited a china/dining room hutch? You can't give them away! Then there were such things such as CDS, DVDS, cash, postal service, and kleenex. Maybe there is an investment opportunity in reusable handkerchiefs.

January 27, 2025, Past District Governor Lisa Bishop,

District Rotary Foundation Chair told the Club about her recent trip to India for a National Immunization Day in New Delhi, (by the way Lisa Bishop is from the Ontario Delhi) ,a report on the District Endowment program which honors deceased Rotarians such as PDG Karen Oakes, and an update on ending Polio in the world.

Adam Veri, Norfolk County Councillor and Rotarian, June Kent, CEO, Norfolk Public Library, and Jennifer Carrier, Community Engagement Coordinator, Norfolk Public Library

March 24, 2025, June Kent reported on the activities and the operation of the Norfolk Public Library which is composed of 5 libraries. Jennifer Carrier on the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program which encourages young children to read.

Photograph's Source: Norfolk Today

March 29, 2025, The Rotary Club of Simcoe was one of the community sponsors of the Simcoe Composite School Girls Hockey Team. Congratulations on being the fourth best in the province at the OFSAA. Well done!