While Rotary International has been operating for well over 100 years (est 1905) our town had yet to charter a club. That was — until April of 2019!
With many neighbouring communities having clubs for decades (including Cottam, whose club is over 75 years old), a few friends got together in the fall of 2018 to discuss their vision of what a service club would look like in Kingsville. It became clear that what Rotary had to offer checked all the boxes these volunteers were looking for.
It began slowly with our first initiative being a community yard sale in November of 2018. With only a handful of friends organizing and volunteering for this project, we managed to raise over $1,000! With our new bank account, we were able to participate in Migration Hall’s Guys and Dolls production, where we ran the bar for all of the shows.
And the rest, as they say, is history. We quickly learned that being involved in community events and partnering with local businesses would give us the most opportunities to volunteer and gain much needed recognition in town.
Rotary International requires 20 people for a new charter to become official. By April of 2019, six months after our initial idea was developed, we were ready to join the 1.2 million others around the globe who call themselves Rotarians.
We officially became the Rotary Club of Kingsville Southshore and what a party we threw!
In the short time we’ve been around, we have achieved more than we had hoped — several outdoor cleanups, volunteering with Gleaners, a golf tournament, tree planting, a Habitat for Humanity build day, and more. The list is lengthy!
One of the proudest partnerships we’ve formed is with our local Community Food Bank. Recognizing the need for extended hours to further serve those with food vulnerability, our club now carries an extra shift on Wednesday evenings 5-7 p.m. Those who are employed and need support now have the chance to get to the food bank “after hours.”
Now, as we look at what service, fellowship and volunteering mean in our new reality during the pandemic, we’ve needed to make adjustments as to how we hold our meetings, and some projects have been put on hold.
We’re excited, though, that during this time we have welcomed several new members and have been able to engage the community in projects we can do together, yet separate. Thanks in part to social media and other active organizations we’ve been able to partner with, we continue to be a beacon of service, caring and community spirit for years to come.
Some exciting projects are on the very near horizon! Check back soon to find out what we’re up to next!
Photos by Stacey Jones