Working with Haven on the QueenswayThe Rotary Club of Toronto West, through the Chair of the Community Projects Committee, Jane Botsford, works hand in hand with the Haven on the Queensway, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for those in need by providing food, clothing, and other resources. We are proud to receive a letter of thanks from them.  |
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First Meeting at our New Venue Our first meeting was held on January 8, 2026, at the Delmanor West Village in Toronto. Our first speaker was Ms. Nekpen Obasogie, Founder and Executive Director of the Canadian Council for Family Services. We received a warm welcome from our new home venue, the Delmanor West Village. |
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Patti Lee's Cambodia Project in the News
The article below was written by Paul Waldie and originally published in the Globe & Mail on August 1, 2025. Pitching in: Building schools and health programs in CambodiaThe organizers: Patti Lee, Barbara Seagram and Alex Kornel The pitch: Creating the Southeast Asia Support Organization The cause: To fund education and health programs in Cambodia Retired nurse Barbara Seagram has been a leading figure in the world of bridge for decades. She’s written nearly 40 books on the game and ran a club in Toronto with her husband Alex Kornel that was one of the largest in North America. Ms. Seagram and fellow bridge enthusiast Patti Lee also organize cruises and travel tours for bridge players. Several years ago they were planning a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia when they came across a Canadian teacher at a school in Cambodia who was trying to buy bicycles for students. “We found out it was only 50 Canadian dollars a bike,” Ms. Lee, 79, recalled from her home in Toronto where she used to work for IBM Canada. “We thought, that sounds like a good thing for us to do. And so we started raising money.” They delivered 40 bikes during the bridge tour in 2011 but quickly discovered a greater need. The school had no desks or chairs and a hole in the floor which served as a toilet. “We said to each other; ‘They don’t need bikes. They need a school’,” Ms. Lee said. The women began a fundraising campaign among bridge colleagues and raised $24,000 to build a new school. They didn’t stop there. They created the Southeast Asia Support Organization and started raising money for more schools and health programs. They’ve built four schools so far that instruct 525 students and employ 14 teachers and librarians. The schools augment the state system by specializing in subjects such as English, hygiene and computer skills. The non-profit organization has also installed toilets and handwashing stations in 32 schools and 60 villages; and they’ve improved access to clean water at 26 health centres. They also work on local projects with an American charity, the Banyan Tree Organization, and they are connected to the Canadian Landmine Foundation. Ms. Lee and Ms. Seagram, 76, raise more than $100,000 annually to fund the programs and they take turns visiting Cambodia every year. “It’s very heartwarming,” Ms. Lee said of the growth of the organization. “When I stand back and realize what we’ve actually done, it even kind of astounds me. Because it started very small and you can see how much it helps the community.” |
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Dana Corfield: Equip KIDS International
Dana Corfield provided us with a great overview of her work with Equip KIDS International, a charity that makes mobility and other kinds of equipment available to children with disabilities. Much of their work involves children with cerebral palsy living in Peru. You can get a good idea of the impact of this work from the short video below. |
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President's Night 2025
We had a wonderful evening on President's Night. This short video will give you a good idea of how it went. |
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The Impact of Landmines
RTW club member Patti Lee gave a presentation today on the impact of landmines, globally and in the country of Cambodia. Her opening statement was attention grabbing: "You are going to find this ... disturbing". She was right. Cambodia has been the target of cluster munitions and landmines as the legacy of decades of war; estimates for the unexploded ordinance range from 4 million to 10 million. An estimate of the number of people living with landmine-related amputations is approximately 40,000 - one of the highest rates in the world. Patti explained the history of landmine activism in Canada, dating from the development of the Ottawa Treaty as an outcome of the October 1996 conference on the global landmine crisis during which then Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy challenged a delegation of 50 governments and 24 observers to bring about an international ban on landmines. While international support for the treaty has waxed and waned over time, Rotary's support has remained steadfast. Please watch these short videos to gain a better understanding of the impact of landmines on the people of Cambodia: |
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June Fundraiser at the Chef's House Additional DetailsYou will experience wonderful food imagined by a student from the Post - Graduate Italian program, prepared and presented by the students from George Brown College located at the Chefs’ House, 215 King St. East, Canada’s finest student-run restaurant! Register for the event with Patti Lee (pattilee@sympatico.ca or 416-606-0848) OR e-transfer $175/person to Brian Spencer, Rotary Treasurer, at treasurer2.rctw@gmail.com **Please include your name, postal address and email address when you register! ** If you cannot attend but still wish to donate, you will receive a tax receipt for any donation of $25 or more. Click here to donate and be sure to include a message to us that your donation is in support of our projects in Cambodia. |
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Promoting Agronomy in Cambodia
We were joined by Harold Rudy, brother of club member Willis Rudy. Harold provided a presentation on his 3 month contract with Cambodia as an agricultural consultant. Cambodia is a country with a diet that depends heavily on the availability of rice, as well as potatoes and cassava. As its principle crop, over 70% of the cropped area is devoted to rice production, constituting 50% of total agricultural output. As a consequence of upgrading its farming practices, Cambodia has become a major rice exporter to South East Asia. Harold Rudy is an expert on soil conditions - the issue that has had so much influence on Cambodia's ability to increase its yields. Although he's not a vet, Harold's trip was supported and coordinated by Vets Without Borders as part of their mission to support human and animal health through agricultural practices that produce stronger crops sustainably. Vets Without Borders spends more than 85% of funds raised on projects, such as those carried out in Cambodia. Harold's consultation project is of interest to Rotarians because it addresses the following areas of focus:
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Take A Look At Rotaract!
Rotary Toronto West provides support to a busy and dynamic Rotaract Club operating at York University. Club President Parthav Bhatia provided this recent update: "This time (semester) we have done around 5 events - 2 focused on community engagement and the rest were waffle stations where the members came together to make fresh waffles to sell. I'm very happy to tell you we have made over 400 dollars in the last 3 weeks and we have sold out numerous times. I'm attaching some pictures from one of the events . I hope you like them." |
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Projects in Cambodia: Update for Spring 2025
Update for Spring 2025Health Centres in Cambodia provide medical support for families. Women give birth there and will stay overnight there. For some other medical things, various family members may also stay overnight. Today, some Health Centres in Cambodia have wells but when the hydro quits, they no longer have access to clean water. Some Health Centres do not even have a well. In these cases, they revert to pond water, which is contaminated by fertilizer, cattle, and humans. With financial support from Rotary District 7070 and 5 Rotary Clubs in District 7070 (Rotary Club of Toronto West, Rotary Club of Whitby Sunrise, Rotary Club of Toronto, Whitby Rotary Club, and Rotary Toronto Eglinton), seven (7) Health Centres now have clean water. Visit this page for the background on these projects: https://rotarytorontowest.ca/page/projects-in-cambodia/
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Haven on the Queensway |
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RTW's 16th Annual Scotch Nosing
Our annual Scotch Nosing, held at the Lambton Golf and Country Club, is an excellent way to learn about whiskies from different regions of Scotland, enjoy a delicious 5 course meal, win some excellent prizes and raise money for a worthy charity. This year's fundraising was for Sleeping Children Around the World, a non-profit organization that has distributed more than a million bed kits to protect children from mosquito-borne infections since 1970. The images below will give you just a hint of what this fun and fantastic party was all about. Be sure to join us next year!  |
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Stella's Place |
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RTW, Days For Girls and TAGI are changing lives in Uganda
Club President, Daphine Marunga, recently provided an update on the work of her Uganda-centred charity known as The Amara Girls Initiative (TAGI). An ongoing project in conjunction with Days For Girls and the support of the Rotary Club of Toronto West (RTW) has focused on providing menstrual kits and improved hygiene facilities that enable girls to stay in school. In many countries, schools do not have adequate safe hygiene facilities and feminine hygiene products are not readily available or affordable. Girls feel obligated to stay at home during their periods. They fall behind in their school work and some will drop out of school. When girls struggle to attain a basic education, their difficulties have broad impacts. |
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PACT: An Inspiring Program To Support At-Risk Youth
The PACT Urban Peace Program is all about bringing hope and options to kids who are struggling and it's success is inspiring to its supporters.
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2 nd Annual Culinary Experience Fundraiser - a Huge Success! |
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Last Hurrah, Summer 2023
The Rotary Club of Toronto West had a bitter-sweet summer. We experienced the passing of our beloved Rotarian, Donald "Don" Foster, who has been with the Rotary Club for over 60 years. But we also had some wonderful celebrations.
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Scarves For Sale for Cambodia Fundraising
Patti Lee once again will be selling her much anticipated scarves as a fundraising for Cambodia at the Taste of the Kingsway, Septermber 8 - 10, 2023.
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RTW Supports Our Local Food Bank
Happy Thanksgiving!RTW recently collaborated with the Etobicoke Rotary club to collect 70 bags full of non-perishable food to donate to our local food bank.
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Cleaning Up Canada's Great Lakes
A Call to Action: Rotary's Great Lakes Watershed CleanupTo mark Earth Day in April 2021, Rotary District 7070 issued a challenge to all its clubs to participate in the Rotary Great Lakes Watershed Cleanup during the week of April 17 - 24, 2021. Rotary Toronto West continued the project this year by focusing cleanup efforts in Tom Riley Park. With the assistance of members of the Etobicoke Collegiate Institute Interact Club, Rotarians worked to remove trash throughout the park. |
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A Call to Action
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Rotary Supports the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
This year, September 30th will mark the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, honouring lost children and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public acknowledgment of the painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is an essential aspect of the reconciliation process.
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Hope Floats
Families Find Security at Women's Habitat in Etobicoke: Since 1978, Women's Habitat Etobicoke (WHE) has been offering shelter, outreach and resources to families in crisis. The shelter accommodates 25 people and operates around the clock, every day of the week. While the pandemic has changed the way staff connect with clients and how some services are delivered, Women's Habitat has expanded its outreach, feeding nearly 1700 people from March to November, 2020. Manager Lina Almanzan told us more about how WHE is accomplishing these incredible results.
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Dave Cook: Fading History - Stories of Etobicoke and Mississauga
Local Author Keeps Municipal Histories Alive and Vibrant: Recollections of high school history classes might make you yawn, but Canadian history, and the histories of Etobicoke and Mississauga in particular, contain some fascinating stories. Local historian, author and politician Dave Cook loves to share them.
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Darren Wilson: Meeting the Needs of Toronto's Indigenous Youth
Native Child and Family Services of Toronto Helps Indigenous Youth Claim Their PlaceToronto has an indigenous population estimated to be approximately 69,000 people. Within this substantial group are vulnerable youth (up to 30 years of age), who need culturally sensitive assistance to find their place in metropolitan Toronto. Darren Wilson, Manager for Youth Services, told us how Native Child and Family Services of Toronto works to bridge gaps. |
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Heroes and Champions at RTW 7070 District Governor Mark Chipman Celebrates RTW's "Superheroes" The Rotary Clubs of Toronto West, Ajax and Uxbridge spent an enjoyable time together learning about the clubs' activities and contributions to their communities. District Governor Mark Chipman joined in to share a motivational vision for the unusual times in which we find ourselves: What if 2020 wasn't cancelled? What if 2020 became Rotary's most important year yet? What if 2020 becomes the year when Rotary evolves into an organization that is more accessible, recognized and community-involved than ever before? What if the District's strategy and the Clubs' efforts prove to be exactly what is needed now? |
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Courtney McNamara: Virtual Fundraising
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Inspirations Studio Helps Women Create New Futures Pottery Making Sets the Focus on New Futures for Women For more than 20 years, Inspirations Studio has been assisting women in need of a transition to a more satisfying and secure life by teaching them the skills and art of making pottery. Women also learn to be teachers themselves as well as entrepreneurs. Gudrun Olafsdottir and Isabella Tatar (in picture on the left) shared the vision of the organization with us. |
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Julie Brown: The Abiding Comfort of Dorothy Ley Hospice “We will not leave you. We will watch with you. We will be there.” ~ Dr. Dorothy LeyDorothy Ley was an oncologist with a vision for the care of people with terminal conditions. She wanted to create a comfortable, comforting space in which people could experience the end of life with dignity and compassion. This led to her pioneering efforts in hospice care in Ontario, and the eventual construction of the hospice facility which bears her name and stands as a tribute to her legacy. Julie Brown shared this inspiring story with us. |
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Here's What We've Been Doing Lately: Zooming! RTW Just Keeps Zooming Along!Like many others doing Covid-19 huddles, RTW is continuing its tradition of weekly meetings - virtually! We are still here doing the work needed to provide support and comfort in trying times. Speakers are still making honoured appearances as able - check out our stories to learn more. |
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ECI Supports Days For Girls ECI Interact Supports Days For GirlsMaria Pollieri, Toronto team leader for the Toronto Chapter of Days for Girls, provides an introduction of how today's sewing party will help girls stay in school and live a better life. |
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Richard Mewhinney: Green Oranges for Sustainable Living in Uganda Water for Fruit Trees Transformed a Town in UgandaOngutoi is a village in central east Uganda that had a languishing local economy and poor access to healthcare until Rotary-sponsored projects created a medical centre and transformed barren ground into a grove of Valencia orange trees. Richard Mewhinney from the Rotary Club of Newmarket, who has led this project for several years, explained how this near-miracle unfolded. |
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Zarmina Nekzai and Canadian Community Organization for Women and Youth Hockey Girls: Gender Equality in Afghanistan and BeyondPetite, courageous and focussed, Zarmina Nekzai has made it her life's work to advance gender equality in Afghanistan and internationally by promoting education for girls and women. As an embodiment of the spirit of Rotary, Zarmina's personal story is a triumphant illustration of what can happen when people take action. |
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Patti Wright: RTW's Projects in Ukraine Changing Young Lives in UkraineRivne, Ukraine is not what you might think. The bustling city seems to be thriving and yet healthcare and other forms of support for children with disabilities are sadly lacking. Being handicapped is the 4th leading cause of death in Ukraine and children with disabilities are often abandoned by their families. Over the past four years, RTW has sponsored several projects directed to supporting these kids and Patti Wright visited in September to see first hand the difference they've made. |
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Scotch Nosing Success! |
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Willis Rudy: My Life in Nepal, 1958 - 1961 Three Years in Nepal Changed His LifeAt 22, Willis Rudy felt adrift: his career in music seemed at a dead-end, he was struggling financially and wasn't sure what to do next. So, of course, he went to Nepal. Willis shared some of the highlights of his new book, My Life in Nepal, 1958 - 1961 with us. |
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FEAT for Children Of Incarcerated Parents
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iIMPACT Wraparound
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Atlas 365: Accelerating Low Carbon Consumerism Using hemp to fight climate changeGreen house gas emissions contribute to global warming and climate change. The air pollution they cause is associated with increases in dementia and respiratory problems. The issues connected with green house gases are costing the economy billions of dollars. Imagine being so moved to act on these issues that you would put your career in law on hold to devote yourself fully to this cause - using hemp as the medium for change. That's what Akeem Gardner did, and he told us why. |
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PEOPLE OF ACTION: RTW and DAYS FOR GIRLS, 2019 Update Project: Supporting the Health and Literacy Needs of Girls Project Partners: Days For Girls, Etobicoke Collegiate Institute Interact Club, and Richview Collegiate Institute Interact Club Status: Ongoing - click "Read more..." below for the 2019 update |
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Carlos Bastidas and The Ontario Pops Orchestra Connecting Communities with MusicJust a few short years ago, Carlos Bastidas approached Humber Valley United Church with an inspired idea: connect the community with light classical and popular music while providing students and recent graduates with opportunities to build skills and experience in an orchestra. From this simple beginning, The Ontario Pops Orchestra grew to one of the most lauded music organizations in Canada. |
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Rick Gosling: The Children's Breakfast Club Feeding Tummies, Building CommunitiesEstablished in 1984, The Children's Breakfast Club has decades of experience in helping children develop their potential by nurturing their bodies and spirits. Famous alumni include the Raptors' Assistant Coach Jamaal Magloire and CBC Toronto's Dwight Drummond. Rick Gosling told us how it all got started... |
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The Scott Mission - The Miracle On Spadina Changing Lives with Kindness and Spiritual WholenessThe Scott Mission has been a fixture in Toronto for over 78 years, providing practical and spiritual support to vulnerable people. Alex Ng told us about how he became involved with the Scott Mission, and what their efforts have accomplished. |
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Rotary Works with Canada's First Nations Rotary HIP Supports Indigenous Youth Through EducationCanada's First Nations peoples are a special resource who have faced many challenges. When Rotarians asked how we could help, the clear and compelling response was "through education." John Currie told his story of a personal awakening to the needs of the indigenous people his community, and how this led to the formation of Rotary HIP. |
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Rotary and Toronto's Argos Partner for Youth Leadership Rotary and The Toronto Argonauts On Board for Youth LeadershipRotary Clubs in the GTA are partnering with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. (MLSE) and the Toronto Argonauts to provide youth leadership training combined with the enjoyment of professional football. |
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Bringing Fresh Water to Al'Qaa, Lebanon Bringing Fresh Water to Al'Qaa, LebanonWater and sanitation projects are central to Rotary International's mission. For landlocked areas in the middle east, such as Al'Qaa (Elkaa, El Kaa), Lebanon, accessing fresh water for drinking and other everyday needs can be a huge challenge. Wasim Jarrah, from the Rotary Club of Newmarket, told us about the club's ongoing project to provide assistance. |
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Putting the Future in Focus The War Amps Put the Future in Focus for Young and Old2018 was the 100th anniversary of the War Amps organization and its efforts to have amputees help amputees to adapt to the challenges associated with amputation. The War Amps programs have expanded and changed during its tenure, and it looks forward to continuing its mission in a country the founding World War I veterans would scarcely recognize. |
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The Little Sun Solar Lamp Lights Up Ethiopia Solar Lights Shine in the Night for the DisplacedThe Etobicoke branch of the Canadian Federation of University Women was looking for a project to mark their 100th anniversary and chose to bring light to displaced people living in primitive camps in Ethiopia through their connections with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. |
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Drs. Philip and Nancy Wood - Healthcare in the Democratic Republic of Congo Dedicated Doctors Help to Create Sustainable Healthcare in CongoDoctors Philip and Nancy Wood have been working for more than 4 decades to help health professionals in the Democratic Republic of Congo create sustainable healthcare in some of the country's most under-serviced regions. |
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April 2019 Update on the Amarok Society "Teach a mother, change the world"The Amarok Society educates about 3,000 students in Bangladesh by teaching mothers how to teach children. Amarok Society's programs target the poorest women in the slums of Bangladesh, women for whom a job paying $1 per day would be prized. Educating them to teach Bangladeshi, English and mathematics to children raises the literacy and numeracy levels of the entire community. We recently received a letter from the mother we sponsor, Sathi, updating us on her progress. |
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Denis Doracin: CrossFit Training for Health at Any Age Come As You Are, Start Where You Can FitnessPeople tend to think of fitness as something that is out of reach because of age or illness. Denis Doracin, using RTW member John Hastings (pictured above) as an example explained why that's not true. |
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Mahad Shazad: Using Social Interaction for Mental Health in Vulnerable Populations Chatting to Wellness Brightens the Lives of SeniorsWe often think of at-risk youth as being a vulnerable population with respect to suicide but the disturbing truth is that seniors are 3 to 5 times more likely to commit suicide due to mental illness associated with social isolation. Mahzad Shahzad told us all about it. |
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Sylvia Kwan: Community Policing in Action Bridging Gaps and Building Awareness Through Community PolicingAdvocating for a heightened police presence in afflicted neighbourhoods. Educating the public about trends in crimes that could affect them. Promoting awareness of the Community Police Liaison Committee. Sex trafficking in Etobicoke. Sylvia Kwan tolds us about all this and much more. |
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Harold Rudy: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People Ensuring Food Security For Growing Populations Harold Rudy is an expert on various aspects of agribusiness and conservation. He dished the dirt about the importance of soil health/conservation, science and technology, and people's habits related to diet and food management to highlight the challenges in global food security. Harold spent his formative years on a Mennonite family farm in Waterloo County as one of ten siblings, including RTW member Willis Rudy, who taught Harold how to drive a tractor at the early age of about 6 years. So began Harold's fascination with agriculture. Harold attended the University of Guelph, where he earned a B. Sc. (Agriculture) and a M. Sc. (Rural Planning and Development) as the foundation for a thirty year career devoted to promoting the environmental stewardship programs of the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA). He has authored a book called The Soil Fixers which covers some of his experiences working with farmers and agricultural specialists on issues related to soil protection, conservation, and sustainability. Harold continues to live on the family farm that was originally established in 1929. Even after 90 years of production, it continues to be actively farmed by one of Harold's neighbours. |
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ECI Interactors Support Days For GirlsECI Interact Club improves the lives of girls internationally through Days For Girls RTW sponsors the ECI Interact Club and provides financial and practical support to Days For Girls.Over 30 Interact students of ECI volunteered to stay after classes to fabricate kits for the local Toronto chapter of the international Days for Girls organization. Thousands of kits are sent to schools in SE Asia and Africa where it is common for young girls to miss out on several days of important schooling each month due to menstruation. Photo credits: John Stevenson |
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The 20th Annual Rotary Youth Impact Awards: Honouring Excellence in Etobicoke Rotary Toronto West hosts the Rotary Youth Impact Awards in January each year to recognize and honour people in the community who have contributed significantly to the support and development of youth. At the 20th awards ceremony held on January 25, 2019, we were privileged to give the Lifetime Achievement Award to Denise Bebenek [third from right], founder of Meagan's Walk: Creating a Circle of Hope and to also recognize [left to right] Michelle Tomlinson, Karen White-Rosewell, Jamal Campbell, Dhakshan Ravibalan, Taylor Jennings, Claire Nelson and Bruce Boyd, all of whom contribute enormously to making Etobicoke a place where youth can thrive.
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Scotch Nosing Success 2018 |
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Feeding Tummies and Fueling Potential with Kids Against Hunger Youth Power Was In Full Force at the Kids Against Hunger Food Packing Event RTW and the Rotary Club of Etobicoke support the efforts of Kids Against Hunger to provide nourishing food to families in Canada and around the world. On November 24th, Etobicoke Rotary member Gillian Dugas had everything organized in superlative fashion, supported by husband Andre and fellow club members Greg Dobson, Lynda Ryder, Hugh Williams, Iosef Ciosa and Ron Miller.Attending from RTW were President Stephen Thiele, Doug Williams and wife Jo, David Crack, Sarah D'Aversa, Susan McCoy with visiting Rotarian Lauren Buss from the Barrie Huronia Rotary Club, Janet McKenzie, Mike Newediuk, John Muto and club photographer John Stevenson. What made this event really special though was the attendance of droves of young people from Air Cadet Squadron 700 and the Division 22 Police Rovers. And, as usual, the Salvation Army on Kipling were our gracious and accommodating hosts.
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Merry Christmas from Canada to the Philippines! Interact Clubs spread Christmas cheer to elementary students in the Philippines RTW supports the efforts of the Lakeshore Foundation's Phillip Barker to provide much needed school supplies to Baybay Central School in the Philippines under the guise of gifts from Santa every December. This creates an ideal opportunity for Interactors to share the joy of a Canadian-style Christmas and give Santa some much needed assistance responding to the hundreds of letters the Baybay students write. Photo credit: Mary Gaudet, toronto.com |
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Olympian Sami Jo Small: Choose How You Play Olympic Medalist Sami Jo Small Shares the Secret of TeamworkRTW was pleased to learn about teamwork from someone who has devoted herself to it in the pursuit of Olympic excellence. As a winner of 2 gold medals and a silver one won representing Canada in women's hockey at three Olympic Games, Sami cultivated the habit of dedication to her sport at an age when some of us would barely be able to keep our elbows out of our breakfast cereal... |
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Sean Cragg: Canada's Aviation Wonder - The Avro Arrow Rotary Toronto West was privileged to welcome professional engineer Sean Cragg to speak to us about the history of the Avro Arrow, one of Canada's greatest aeronautics achievements. Sean described the Arrow as setting the gold medal standard for its era. Initially designed in 1953 by A.V. Roe Canada, it took 4 years of work to bring it to roll-out status, which occurred on October 4, 1957. The period during which the Arrow was being designed, built, tested and launched constituted a "perfect storm" of design issues and politics. The original Rolls Royce engine proved to have problems so a new engine was designed by Orenda, with a 5:1 thrust ratio. This made it one of the most powerful engines for its time and enabled the plane to fly at speeds exceeding Mach 1.98. |
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Lauren McCallum's Update on Montgomery's Inn Culinary Arts Project Using Food to Educate, Engage and Empower Etobicoke YouthRTW has been pleased to sponsor Montgomery's Inn Culinary Arts program for some time and it's always a pleasure to hear about how it is growing and changing. Lauren McCallum gave us an update on what's happening for 2018. |
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Project Amigo "Transforming lives through education in Colima, Mexico"Project Amigo began 34 years ago as a result of an experience of Rotarian Ted Rose, who became an accidental tourist in the vicinity of Colima and nearby Cofradia when he took the wrong bus when he was looking for a volcano in the area, Volcan di Colima. He was so struck by the kindness and generosity of the people of the village, who were impoverished, that he was moved to repay their kindness in a typically Rotarian way. After much thought and discussion with local people, he decided to provide assistance to educate the children of this area. Edmonton area Rotarian Merle Taylor gave an aspiring account of Project Amigo's history and ongoing activities. |
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2019 RYIA to Honour Denise Bebenek As Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Rotary Toronto West hosts the Rotary Youth Impact Awards in January each year to recognize and honour people in the community who have contributed significantly to the support and development of youth. At the 20th awards ceremony to be held on January 25, 2019, we will be privileged to give the Lifetime Achievement Award to Denise Bebenek, founder of Meagan's Walk: Creating a Circle of Hope.
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Rotary International Convention, Toronto 2018 |
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10 Reasons to Love Rotary  #10 Because our future is brightRotaract brings together people ages 18 to 30 in universities and communities worldwide to organize service activities, develop leadership and professional skills, and have fun. If you’ve ever been to a Rotaract meeting or volunteered at RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards), you’ve already glimpsed one of the most vibrant parts of Rotary. Our programs for the 20-something and younger set are designed to mentor young leaders and bring generations together. |
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David McKillop: Legal Aid Ontario  David McKillop, VP at Legal Aid Ontario, spoke to us on May 24, 2018 about this organization's role in the province's legal system. Legal Aid Ontario (LAO) is a non-profit organization, jointly funded by the provincial and federal governments, which provides high quality legal representation to people who could not independently afford representation. These people are vulnerable individuals whose problems could derail already precarious lives, especially when criminal charges are involved. |
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Jay Llave and the Lakeshore Charitable Foundation: Supporting Education in the Philipines Jay Llave, a fellow with extensive Rotary experience, works with Philip Barker of the Lakeshore Charitable Foundation to deliver school supplies and other necessities to the remote area in which Bay Bay Central School is located. On May 10, 2018, he gave us an update.
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Chris Hatch: Food Insecurity in Canada Chris Hatch is the newly appointed CEO of Food Banks Canada, the national organization dedicated to promoting access to high quality food for all across Canada. He spoke to us about the operations of Food Banks Canada and the issue of food insecurity in Canada on April 12, 2018. Every March, Food Banks Canada collects data from as many food banks as possible across Canada to generate statistics on food bank use. The sources include food bank chains, independently operated food banks, soup kitchens, in-school food programs and more. The HungerCount Report is used by governments in setting policies intended to target the 850,000 or more Canadians who rely on food banks. One third of food bank users are children and one sixth of them are people who are employed but are not able to make ends meet due to high housing costs, low wages and/or poor access to full time employment or employment benefits. Food bank use is considered to be a barometer for poverty in Canada and unfortunately no progress has been seen in these statistics for many years. As a national association, Food Banks Canada assists its members in three ways: with funding, with food and with advocacy. |
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Diabetes: it's more than you think On February 8, 2018, we were pleased to welcome Nicole Holden-Durinlson, who is the Ontario Coordinator for Diabetes Canada, and colleague Jeremy Steinhausen, the GTA Community Engagement Coordinator. Jeremy gave a presentation on the impact of diabetes on Canadians and how Diabetes Canada is responding.
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Rotary Youth Impact Awards 2018 – What A Night!
Mr Tom (Tamas) Mihalik Was Honoured at the 19th Annual Youth Impact Awards Dinner Friday, January 26th, 2018 at The Old Mill Inn It’s amazing what we can accomplish when hearts and minds work together. The Rotary Club of Toronto West has been taking action for many years to bring lasting change in our communities by empowering our youth.
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Welcoming Old Friends Left to right: Brian Hicks, Willis Rudy, Mason Hicks, Gaston BotteroOur meeting on May 18, 2017 was made even more emjoyable by an unexpected reunion with some "old" friends, former RTW president Brian Hicks and his lovely daughter Mason. Brian and his family left the Toronto area several years ago to pursue opportunities in Devon, Alberta. During his five years with RTW, Brian served very capably as President and his leadership was as much admired as appreciated. Now a highly regarded business operator in Devon, his old RTW comrades were delighted to reminisce and make promises (threats?) of visits to Alberta. Rotary Toronto West wish Brian and his family all the best and hope to have them join us again soon.
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Michael Prosserman and Unity: Fostering Resilience in Youth with Hip Hop Michael Prosserman seems to have been born dancing. He's been into hip hop since he was 12. His respect for the benefits of dance and a deeply personal awareness of the community impact of mental illnesses fused in the creation of Unity Charity, which he began 10 years ago.
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Michelle Goulter: Using Canada's Summer Camp Culture To Develop Rural Australian Youth Michelle Goulter has come a long way from her roots in Millmerran, a town of about 2,000 souls in Queensland, Australia. Several years ago, she came to Canada in search of an adventure and discovered a love of camping so inspiring to her that she now works as the representative for Camp Canada to Australia and New Zealand. She is unabashedly passionate about the power of summer camps to motivate and develop young people, so much so that she is determined to bring the summer camp experience to her home town in Australia. Michelle described the Darling Downs area in which Millmerran is located as one that lacks social services and opportunities for young people. |
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Rotarian Stephen Thiele Wins Lawyers’ Award! Our member Stephen Thiele was honoured to receive the Honsberger Award from the Toronto Lawyers Association (TLA) at their annual meeting in March. The Honsberger Award is named in honour of John D. Honsberger, President of the Toronto Lawyers Association in 1967-68, and is in recognition of a single unique accomplishment or ongoing contributions to the legal community and the community at large, exemplifying the TLA’s three pillars: Knowledge, Advocacy and Community.
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Health, Out Loud "If you ask me what I came into this life to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud." Emile Zola Health Out Loud, a name that might have been inspired by Emile Zola's thought, began as one of Managing Director Stephanie Wang's health projects - a series of discussion nights about what health meant and why knowledge about health was sometimes so inaccessible. These discussions led to the formation of a non-profit organization, a network of friends and associates, whose shared mission is to make health information relevant and fun. |
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Welcoming Richview Collegiate Institute's New Interact Club On Tuesday, May 9, 2017, the Rotary Club of Toronto West co-sponsored the creation of the Richview Collegiate Institute Interact Club. Thanks to the efforts of Anisah Kirefu, the Interact Club President, Rotarian Patti Wright and a staff member at Richview, Dr. Andrea Brozyna, this Interact Club was formed in a very short period of time this year. The club has 21 members, many of whom are in Grades 9 and 10. The formal founding meeting was well attended by the new members, their parents and Rotarians from various clubs, including the Rotary Club of Etobicoke (the other co-sponsoring club) and Rotary Club of Toronto. District Governor Jim Louittit welcomed the new club and fun was had by all. Click "Read more" to view our photo album of this great event! |
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Rotary in Action in the Dominican Republic Rotary Toronto West supports international projects as well as local ones. Past president Patricia Wright recently visited the Dominican Republic on the Club’s behalf.
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Rotary and Interact - Making a Difference on Earth Day April 22, 2017, which was Earth Day and Global Youth Services Day, found the Rotary clubs of Etobicoke and Toronto West joining forces with the Interact clubs of Etobicoke Collegiate and Richview Collegiate to clean up James Gardens in the heart of Etobicoke. James Gardens is a beautiful park that borders the Humber River. As a group of about 50, we collected over 20 bags of trash and got a chance to enjoy some spectacular scenery at the same time. Click the "Read more" button to view the photo album of this fun and important community event.
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A Platform For Doing Good In The World: The Rotary Foundation On April 20th, 2017, we were privileged to have a distinguished Rotarian, Oshawa Parkwood Rotary Club member Ted Morrison, join us to explain the workings of the Rotary Foundation. A Rotary member for more than 30 years, Ted has served on his club's Board of Directors (7 Years) and as President (2000), and has been the recipient of several awards including “Rotarian of the Year” (1998), “Paul Harris Fellowship” (2001), and “Outstanding Service to Rotary Award” (2006). Ted has also served at the district level (District 7070) as an Assistant Governor for 3 years and as a contributing member to the Grants Committee and the Visioning Team.
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MICAP: Rotary Supports Baking and Breaking Bread at Montgomery's Inn with Etobicoke's Youth On April 13th, we were joined by Lauren McCallum, Montgomery's Inn Museum program officer. Lauren's talk focused on the Montgomery's Inn Culinary Arts Project (MICAP), one of several programs that target children and youth, supported in part by this Rotary Club. Launched as The Food Project in 2013, the program has since expanded and is geared to students from grades 7 to 12 who learn how to shop for fresh produce at a Farmers' Market, make pizza in an outdoor brick oven and roast chickens over an open fire. Students are placed in small groups and work with student mentors and staff leaders to learn about food preparation and safe food handling. Guest chefs and soon-to-be graduate chefs from Humber College provide mentorship. Currently, the program offers 3 sessions for up to 24 students: two that run for 13 weeks each and a third (summer) session that runs for 6 weeks. Some students return annually and may become mentors to other participants. |
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Krista Kruja, RTW's Candidate for Rotary's Global Scholarship Update April 10, 2017: Congratulations to Krista Kruja for being awarded one of Rotary's Global Scholarships! March 31, 2017: Krista spoke to us at our March 30th meeting to provide an overview of her background and the importance of health policy. As a person of Albanian ethnicity born in Austria and raised in Canada who completed an internship with the World Health Organization in Copenhagen, Krista has already been exposed to the health policies and politics of several countries. She has seen how other countries use evidenced-based decision-making to factor health implications into policies set by a broad range of governmental departments or ministries, not just those directly concerned with health , and aspires to see this approach used across Canada (see: Health In All). |
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How Safe Is Your Nest Egg? Pension Funds Could Be Riskier Than You Think Lisa Melchior, founder and president of VERTU Capital, joined us at this morning's meeting to speak about something most of us don't consider: the risks associated with our investments in privately managed pension funds. Lisa comes well equiped for this kind of discussion. Having worked for Wood Gundy, CIBC Capital Partners and OMERS (Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System), she knows the investment industry well.
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Aangen Changes Lives By Helping Communities Thrive Aangen's roots arise from the initiatives of a woman, Mataji or "dear mother", who decided 18 years ago to open her home on Wednesdays to people interested in her healing food and teas, and meditation. She passed these traditions to her daughter, granddaughter and finally her great granddaughter, Executive Director Gurbeen Bhasin who currently runs Aangen, with the assistance of Heather Maciel, Aangen Community Centre's program director.The word "aangen" is derived from Sanskrit. Heather explained that it refers to a courtyard, an area of safey and nurturing within a community. Aangen has been operating as a self-sustained, non-grant based, not-for-profit organization since 2000, serving a "community" which ranges from the local area to international sites. It's programs are community-driven, defined by the people in need not just for them. That's something we can all care about. Click "Read more" to watch a video of Heather's presentation. |
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Understanding Your Online Risks Recently, our own Nick Galletto schooled us on the risks of being online. If you missed this terrific presentation, you can view the slides by clicking the "Read more" button below. |
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Our 18th Annual 2017 Rotary Youth Impact Awards Gala was a Huge Success! Our fundraising gala was held on January 27 2017 at The Old Mill Inn, with over 200 guests enjoying the silent auction, a fine dinner and the awards presentation. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr. Roberta Bondar, Canada's first female astronaut, the first neurologist in space, and an inspiration to youth throughout the world. Dr. Bondar was NASA's head of space medicine for a decade followed by a career as a consultant and speaker in the business, scientific and medical communities. |
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Vocational Month: York and Cinespace Collaborate!
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Nick Galletto Honoured As Paul Harris Fellow At our Holiday Dinner on December 7, 2017, Nick Galletto was presented with a certificate and pin honouring him as our latest Paul Harris Fellow. The Paul Harris Fellow recognition is The Rotary Foundation’s way of expressing its appreciation for a substantial financial contribution to its humanitarian and educational programs. It is named for our founder, Paul Harris, a Chicago lawyer who started Rotary International with three business associates in 1905.
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RTW in the News: Writing Letters for Santa On December 8th, members of Rotary Toronto West and Etobicoke Collegiate Institute's Interact Club combined forces to respond as Santa to approximately 700 letters written by children in Baybay, Philipines. The press were there to cover this very successful event. More details and pictures coming soon. Why not plan on joining in next year? It will guarantee your spot on Santa's "Nice" list! Read InsideToronto.com's article: Etobicoke Students Play Pen-pal Santa to Nearly 700 Kids in Philippines
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How to Declutter Your Life and Start Living Remember that ashtray you bought in Arizona as a souvenir years ago, and you don’t even smoke any more? How about that ugly couch you inherited from your Aunt? Or those clothes you haven't worn in ten years? Over the years, “stuff” accumulates and you think to yourself “Well, I may need that some day”. Until your place starts to look like the television show “Hoarders”. But a cluttering problem is easily fixable. |
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RTW and Kids Against Hunger Rotary Toronto West had a significant turn-out of volunteers to assist the Kids Against Hunger event organized in partnership with Rotary Club of Etobicoke. Volunteers from Interact, Rotaract, and 22 Division of the Toronto Police were also among the 100 or so people involved in packing food destined for locations close to home and abroad (Haiti). Thanks to all who participated! More photos and details about this very successful event coming soon - in the meantime, check out the video below!
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Echoes of the Past: Visit Toronto’s Village of Murals
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Clean Water and a Better Future: WASRAG Imagine what might happen if 20 jumbo jets crashed every day. The public outcry to end the carnage would be huge, and the world would come together in a concerted effort to make it stop. Contrast this with the realization that an equivalent number of people, about 8,000, most of them children, are dying daily because of lack of access to clean water and safe sanitary facilities. Where is the outcry? What is being done to end this? These are the questions that Dr. Ronald Denham, an operations team member for WASRAG, is asking Rotarians to consider, as we learned in his presentation at Rotary Toronto West on November 3, 2016.
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Enter the Brave New World of the “Connected Car”  John Cochrane, founder of Cochrane Automotive in Etobicoke and long time club member, gave us a glimpse into the “connected car” of the future on August 18th. And the message was – it’s happening as we speak, and we’d better get ready for it! |
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Rotary Helps Youth Through Microskills: A Personal Success Story  Homelessness and joblessness did not keep Kristoff from following his dream. Kristoff came to the MicroSkills Rotary Youth Centre as a newcomer from Jamaica. His passion for food and cooking was immediately clear in his eagerness to volunteer for the afterschool program snack preparation. In 2012, Kris enrolled in the Microskills Pre-Cook Apprenticeship Program delivered in partnership with Humber College. After completing the program, Kris faced new challenges such as difficulties finding and retaining employment. He was also homeless for a time...
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Filling a Need and Bringing a Vision to Reality  Sarah Ali, along with five other caring, determined, passionate mothers got together under the banner of the Somali Parents Liaison Coalition to create a summer camp for thirty vulnerable children that brought much joy, safety and opportunity to both parents and children. Sarah spoke to Rotary September 1st, about the great work that’s been done.
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U.N. Peacekeeper Tells of Peacekeeping Challenges U.N peacekeeping has been effective when the troops are on the ground; but when they are withdrawn, many war-torn countries revert to conflict. That was the challenge of peacekeeping expressed by Gerry O’Pray, former U.N. peacekeeper, at our June 2 meeting. The soldiers do their job but often the politicians don’t and peace is lost again, he says. |
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Rotarians Help Special Needs Kids at 2016 Mini-Olympics What an exciting day May 31st was as several of our club members served up food to nearly 1000 hungry people at the 2016 Mini-Olympics for special needs kids in Etobicoke, staged by a number of schools in Etobicoke, led by Father John Redmond. |
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2017 Atlanta - Rotary International Convention June 10-14, 2017 Save the date June 10 -14, 2017 for our 2017 Annual Conference. For more information visit www.riconvention.org/en/atlanta
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Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro to Conquer Polio This year Raffy Chouljian ADG District 7070 and Jennifer Boyd President of RC Don Mills along with other Rotarians are climbing Mt Kilimanjaro to raise funds for Polio Plus. If you would like to support them and Polio Plus, contact Jennifer at jennifer.boyd@scarboroughnorthdental.ca and go to the www.conqueorpolio.org link to donate. |
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Rotary FORT MCMURRAY Fire Relief Fund Established
The Rotary District 5370 Charitable Foundation has established the “Fort McMurray Fire Relief Fund” to assist in the rebuilding of that city following this tragic fire. The Charitable Foundation is now ready to accept donations and tax receipts will be issued. |
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2016 Seoul Korea - Rotary International Convention May 28 - June 1, 2016 2016 Rotary International Convention in Seoul Korea May 28 - June 1, was the main topic of our upcoming district governor and our featured speaker Jim Louttit on May 5. Rotary’s international reach will be on display at the 2016 Rotary International Convention in Seoul Korea May 28- June 1. |
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Scotch Nosing a Great Success Scotch Nosing - 2015 Our Eighth Annual Scotch Nosing fundraiser held at the Lambton Golf And Country club had a record turnout this year - there was even a waiting list for tickets! With the haggis piped in by John Cameron, and ceremonies well hosted by Ed Patrick, participants got in touch with their Scottish roots, even if they weren’t Scottish. |
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Rotarians Cook up a Storm at Monty’s Inn Corn Roast! .jpg) Six of our intrepid club members cooked and served hot dogs for over 400 people at Montgomery’s Inn Corn Roast on Thursday, September 10th to celebrate the Inn's 40th anniversary. |
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Rotary Toronto West supports YMCA youth programs
Stacey Baker, Senior Development Officer with the YMCA of Greater Toronto gave our club a 20 minute breakfast presentation and update on several new facilities planned to open in Toronto over the next 10 years as part of their capital expansion plans and their Strong Start, Great Future Campaign. Read more for the details of her talk and a brief but impressive video of the YMCA's exciting expansion plans. |
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RTW Helps Rotary's Campain in India to Conquer Polio Enjoy this presentation of Past President Patti Wright's adventure in 2015 to assist with Rotary's efforts to eradicate polio in India. |
Rotary's Great Lakes Watershed Cleanup
Zoom. Skype. Webex.
Over 20 young students in the Montgomery’s Inn Culinary Arts Project (MICAP) made cookie houses in celebration of graduating from the program on May 25. The cookie houses were of all different shapes and sizes with colourful designs and gave the kids the opportunity to practice their cooking and artistic skills while having fun and great social interaction.
