President’s Message

2009-2010

Our Rotary International President for 2009-2010, John Kenny from Scotland, has chosen the theme, “the future of Rotary is in your hands”. This presents each club with some unique decisions and opportunities for the future direction of their club.

The Rotary Club of Port Hope has a very rich and proud history reflected in its eighty-seven year legacy. It has been through “service beyond self” and many “hands” serving the club that has led it to its present stature. The dedication of members, directors, and officers has given us a wonderful legacy to enjoy and cherish.

This year, this history will be preserved in digital form for future club members to appreciate and to continue to add to. Past newspaper articles, photos and memorabilia will be scanned and secured on compact discs.

Our fundraising committee has researched and organized a new event, “Rotary Rock & Roast” and in the fall will present this first pork roast and community dance at the Port Hope Recreation Centre barn on Oct. 17^th. As this team has brain-stormed and worked together to create a new event, after forty-seven years, the 500 Club will retire with a celebration of the 1960’s. 1962 was the year this fundraiser began. The final 500 Club celebration on October 5^th will focus on our changing world of the past five decades. Both these events guarantee a fun evening!

The Lobster Dinner and Silent Auction is another major event that guarantees funds to be raised for our club. Each May, fresh lobsters are flown in to be served with salads, baked potatoes and decadent desserts while supporters jockey for irresistible silent auction items. During early December, our club sells hams and mustards

Our weekly meetings are held at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Elias Street with dinner commencing at 6 p.m. after a social half hour. New members are sponsored and sincerely welcomed and this year, the membership committee is arranging a new members evening once a month when current members are encouraged to invite a guest.

As our directors embrace each of the four avenues – club service, community service, world service, and fundraising, the future of Rotary is indeed in very good hands!

Our community service projects include the continuation of the Riverfront Walkway south of the bridge on Dorset Street West on the east side of the river towards the marina. Pavers will be sold for this walkway. Our club has also supported some of the cost of the new playground equipment at Memorial Park and the results of this should be seen this fall or early next spring. This was part of Zac’s Dream. This fall the new Ganaraska Learning Centre will open with a beautiful fireplace sponsored by our Port Hope Club. Materials for this fireplace are all found locally and some components have local historical significance. Other projects that our club has been involved with over the years include: the elevator in the Port Hope Public Library, purchasing equipment for our local hospital, the Who is Nobody?, literacy programs in schools, Camp Enterprise, and providing undergraduate awards for students at Port Hope High School.

Each year our club hosts a Rotary Youth Exchange Student from another country for twelve months and in return, this year Thomas Lang, a student from Port Hope will have the opportunity to live for a year in another country.

On an international scale, the largest project that all Rotary Clubs have raised money for is the Polio Plus campaign started in 1995 to eradicate polio worldwide through mass inoculation of children in countries where polio exists. Along with the Gates Foundation, Rotary is continuing to work towards the complete eradication of this disease. Other international projects that our club has participated in are helping to provide Biosand Water Filters for villages in the Dominican Republic and raising money for the Canadian Landmines Foundation to help clear landmines.

Through the Rotary movement “many hands” serve to maintain our community and world wide support. I look forward to you becoming a part of our future,

Sincerely,

Sylvia Binkley, President

Rotary Club of Port Hope

(905) 372-8084

(905) 885-2416

sylviabinkley@hotmail.com