On Friday, October 18, a number of RCT club members were joined by one visiting Rotarian and three guests in fellowship and excitement of happenings within the club. This took place over a delicious 2-course meal, including a scrumptious dessert with stunning presentation.
President Binoy Luckoo provided an invocation focused on reflection, gratitude, compassion, determination, and service above self, tying into a focus on Rotary efforts towards global polio eradication.
Several announcements were shared, highlighting a plethora of ways for members and guests to be involved in club activities over the months ahead. Alex Brown spoke to membership engagement and highlighted upcoming speakers. Past President Michelle Guy encouraged those attending the Rotary District 7070 Conference to reach out to her to help volunteer at a House of Friendship Booth promoting the Rotary International 2025 Convention in Calgary. Mark McQuitty shared excitement about volunteer opportunities for the December 8 Children's Holiday Party, and President Elect Dauna Jones-Simmonds promoted the Holiday Luncheon taking place on December 19.
With an open invite from President Binoy, more members continued to make a go for the mic! Past President Don Bell highlighted the great fun and success of the Holiday Hampers Oktoberfest fundraiser at The Balmy Beach Club, where over $3,000 was raised and further donations are encouraged to reach $10,000.
Past President Anny-Sandra Hamel shared a sneak peek for this year's Tree of Remembrance, noting the tree is anticipated to be set up November 26-27, with volunteer opportunities to take place in December.
Maud Masiyiwa spoke to the volunteering taking place at the Toronto Wildlife Centre on October 19 through the Environmental Working Group.
President Binoy rounded out the meeting by tying back to the district, highlighting the World Polio Day events and District Conference, along with encouraging attendance at the November 6 RCT Club Assembly.
So many great things are happening at the club! Make sure to take part in the all the upcoming events!
Delicious dessert served by the National Club Chefs!
Picture & Article Written by Kaitlynn Almeida
Training Day for the Club Leadership Team
Monday, October 21st, marked an educational gathering as President Binoy led an engaging and insightful Training session for our esteemed Club Leadership team.
The atmosphere was electric as Committee Chairs, Co-Chairs, Working Group Champions, and Board Directors united in the spirit of camaraderie and shared commitment to our Rotary values.
To set the tone, President Binoy acknowledged the Traditional Lands and emphasized the significance of understanding the tools and processes vital for our club's smooth operation and compliance. The meeting then delved into a whirlwind of knowledge-sharing, unveiling some of the great tools of the ClubRunner software, nurturing dynamic Committee and Working Group management.
President Binoy's guidance spurred spirited conversations around fostering engaged committees, embracing proper documentation, and clarifying event planning & cheque requisition paperwork. Every attendee left with new insights and a rekindled passion for continuous improvement. Our Executive Director, Carol, together with President Binoy provided answers and clarifications to our questions.
The room buzzed with enthusiasm as President Binoy reminded us that our collective pledge to "Service Above Self" binds us together and fuels our relentless pursuit of progress. By embracing novel strategies and collaborating in harmony, we can build a more vibrant and resilient Rotary club that serves our community and leaves a lasting, transformative impact on the world.
In conclusion, the Training session was not only well-attended but also abundant in knowledge and inspiration, setting the stage for an exciting journey ahead.
Written by Brinda Luckoo
Toronto Wildlife Project
Toronto Wildlife Centre promotes peaceful coexistence between people and wildlife through education, expert advice, and medical care for sick, injured, and orphaned animals, aiming to release them back into the wild.
The Rotary Club of Toronto has supported the Centre for many years to fund enclosures for various birds and to build a shelter for injured raccoons.
Rotarians were in action on October 19th to build enclosures at the new Rouge Valley location for red squirrels. It was a job well done by a small but mighty team.
Congratulations to the Environmental Committee for organizing this wonderful event!
Rotary Large Club Conference
Carol, Priscilla and Dauna enjoying Memphis
Executive Director Carol and President Elect Dauna attended the Rotary Large Club Conference held in Memphis, Tennessee in October. They had the honour of meeting Priscilla Presley who was a keynote speaker.
Mosaic of Humanity Silent Auction
Bid on a unique 40x40 painting, created with values from our Rotary Club members and incorporated in the Rotary wheel.
The dynamic wave background symbolizes movement, change, and power. The artist is Reisha Felix (Artist and Founder) from ReiCreations Art
Bidding is open at our upcoming meetings through November.
60% of proceeds will support IDEA initiatives at The Rotary Club of Toronto.
For more information, contact: nikitaw.rotary@gmail.com
Grants Funded by The Rotary Club of Toronto Charitable Foundation
February 3, 2024 to June 30, 2024
UPCOMING MEETINGS & EVENTS
Wednesday Nov 6th - Dinner at The National Club
Club Assembly
Join Vice President Pauline Lyons to learn about our club's impact in the community.
Do you know how much money is granted each year?
Which organizations receive our support?
What is your impact?
This is a great opportunity to discover how and where we make a difference.
Please Register with Sarah Olsen (admin@rotarytoronto.com)
Friday Nov 15th - Lunch at The National Club
Remembrance Day Event
Special Guest : Colonel B. Christopher B. A. Brown CD (son of our Members Alex and June Brown)
Colonel Brown joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1986 as a Trooper in the Governor General’s Horse Guards (GGHG) and then transferred to the 1st Hussars (1H) in 1996. Colonel Brown is a graduate of The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina (BA) and the Royal Military College of Canada (MA). He has deployed overseas as Deputy Task Force Commander for Operation SAFARI in Sudan (2007-2008). He served as Commanding Officer of the 1st Hussars from 2010-2012. During this same period, he served as Commanding Officer of the 31 Territorial Battle Group (TBG 31-11) and was also awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. Post-Command, Colonel Brown served as Deputy Director (Reserve) of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps and Assistant Chief of Staff (Reserve) at the Division HQ in Ontario and Atlantic Canada.
Sewing Service Project - November 23rd
During the course of a morning, members of our club will make reusable sanitary pads for young girls in developing countries who do not have the luxury (nor the money to purchase) sanitary pads.
No sewing experience is needed! Team members are needed to trace pieces on material, cut material and sew the pad. Experts will be on hand to provide guidance.
The event will take place at the Manor Road United Church located at 240 Manor Road East. It's also a TTC friendly location!
We are looking for volunteers for this project! Open to Rotarians only
Please contact Lori Brazier at lori.brazier@rotarytoronto.com
Pictures from the last Sewing Service Project
Holiday Hamper - Food Packing
November 30th
The packing is going to take place on November 30th at 10 AM at the Daily Bread Food Bank at 191 New Toronto St. In Etobicoke. The packing will take about 3 hours and then a number of people will be required to assist in the delivery of the hampers at two destinations to help unload. We need about 25 volunteers.
The Rotary Club of Toronto Children’s Holiday Party
Dec 8th 2024
Looking for joyful volunteers!
We are requesting many volunteers to assist with packing gifts, face painting, ushers and bringing holiday joy to the kids and their families. Please help make our 92nd Children’s Holiday party a huge success!
Event will take place at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel (Downtown) 123 Queen Street West, Toronto.
On October 24th - 9:00 am to 9:30 am, there will be a Flag Raising ceremony at Toronto City Hall Rooftop Podium, to celebrate World Polio Day. Everyone is welcome at this ceremony.
District 7070 Conference
October 25-27
Discover incredible projects within our district and network with fellow Rotarians.
For anyone who has never been to a District conference, this is well worth it.
Even if you can’t make it for the full 3 days, do try to attend the Saturday sessions.
Our club will be there promoting Our Tree of Remembrance. It will be informative and fun!
On Behalf of all our members, we wish a very Happy Birthday to everyone celebrating their birthday in October!
Rotary Club of Toronto
Membership Anniversaries
On behalf of the entire club, I would like to extend our warmest congratulations and heartfelt appreciation to those celebrating their Rotary Club of Toronto anniversaries this quarter (October to December 2024).
Your dedication, commitment, and invaluable contributions have played an integral role in our club's success and impact throughout the years.
Your unwavering support and tireless efforts continue to inspire us all, and we are honored to have you as part of our Rotary Club Toronto family.
Thank you for your service and for embodying the spirit of Rotary in everything you do.
Here's to many more years of fellowship, growth, and shared accomplishments!
Message from President Binoy
WhatsApp Group
We have 80 members on The Rotary Club of Toronto WhatsApp Channel - it's a great way to communicate with each other! Ask to join - any member can add more people to the group.
Would you like to write for the Voice or have a story or picture to share?
Contact Brinda Luckoo at brinda.luckoo@rotarytoronto.com
