The Rotary Club of Simcoe has been a source of community pride and giving since 1925.
Recently, the Rotary Club of Simcoe hosted a supper meeting of the four Rotary clubs in Norfolk County using the Port Dover Yacht Club as a waterside venue.
The agenda was stacked with Rotarian celebrities granting scholarships and community service awards to Norfolk County citizens.
ROTARY BEER IS HERE!
Rotary Beer is available at the Beer Store. Modelling the beer can T-shirts are local Rotarians Al Madill, Dan Hill and Dave King. The Rotary Emblem is on the front and the Rotary Four Way Test is on the back. Go to the Beer Store and ask for “Rotary Beer”!
Norfolk Sunrise Rotarian Steve Malo examines a Rotary Beer with our member Mike Cobb.
GUEST SPEAKER
Our guest speaker (center) was David Cribbs, Chief Administrative Officer of Norfolk County who is flanked by Rotarian Janis Demmans (left) Rotary District 7090 Governor Reg Madison and Rotarian Gail Catherwood (right).
District 7090 Scholarship
Ashley Abrahams, outbound Rotary Exchange Student in 2014-15, is no stranger to a microphone. During her year away in Brazil, frequently standing up and speaking to Rotary clubs, personal growth became her new normal – “old hat as it were”.
Steven Keefe, District 7090 Scholarship Chair and Ashley Abrahams, outbound Rotary Exchange Student in 2014-15
As to Karen Oakes from the Rotary Club of Delhi, she is Rotary Zone 24E Foundation Coordinator. Yup that’s a big title as Zone 24E covers half of Canada into upstate New York State.
Paul Harris Fellow Awards
The Rotary Club of Simcoe is proud to recognize Norfolk Citizens for their outstanding Community Service local and abroad with Rotary’s “Paul Harris Award”.
Lisa Marr being presented with the Paul Harris Award by Reg Madison, Rotary District 7090 Governor.
Locally, Lisa Marr resides in the former hamlet of Waterford. Nearly a decade ago, when youth sailing programs fell under budget cuts, Lisa stepped up, contacted the Ontario Sailing Association and formed the PDYC Sailing School. The sailing school is independent of the yacht club. Over the decade, Lisa has applied funding (including Rotary), Ontario Trillium Grants and arranged operating agreements for Norfolk County facilities. She has also procured updated boats and equipment. It’s not all about Lisa! Lisa recruited many like minded individuals to assist as organizers and facilitators. Initially qualified sailing instructors were brought in from the GTA. However, today the School boasts a cadre of home grown instructors who are graduates of the sailing school. Thank you Lisa!
Internationally, Cherie Szucs, a Norfolk resident who farms south-west of Simcoe with her husband, had visited Tanzania and saw a need. In the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro, the Tumaini Orphanage was born to look after orphans abandoned with little prospect of basic necessities nor education. Cherie raised funding with the assistance of Rotary and created the orphanage. A few years ago, one of the original orphans came to Norfolk, went to high school and learned farming practices on the Szucs’ farm to return and apply them in Tanzania. Cherie herself is a dynamo!
Again, presenting a “Paul Harris Award” to Cherie Szucs is Reg Madison, Rotary District 7090 Governor.
Norfolk Rotaract Club
The Norfolk Rotaract Club (target ages 18 to 30’ish) was well represented. Scott Buchanan (a lawyer with Cobb & Jones) stood up and reported upon their activities and accomplishments. There are many of them. This is their third year of awarding the Chelsea Addsion Memorial Bursary.