Welcome!
Our club was chartered on 3 June 2005 with 20 members and has grown to 30. We are one of four Rotary clubs in the Comox Valley on beautiful Vancouver Island. Check our calendar on the menu to the left to find out what's coming up. To find our meeting venue click on: MAP
Fourth Annual Extravaganza Italiana
On Saturday, 18 October in the Cumberland Recreation Hall on Dunsmuir Avenue in Cumberland, our club will host 300 members of our community at our major fundraising event of the year. The event will feature a family-style Italian dinner prepared by Dawn McRae, the Custom Gourmet Chef, and a live and silent auction with at least 200 items or services available. Cocktail hour will begin at 6:00 PM followed by dinner at 7:00 PM. Local, well-known guitarist, Larry Ayre, will play during the cocktail and dinner hours and Dave Stevens will be our live auctioneer. Only 300 tickets have been printed and as of a0 August, 130 have been spoken for. You may reserve tables for 8 or 10 people or come alone, as a couple or with a smaller group. Tickets are $30 per person and can be obtained by calling: 250-339-4068 or by e-mail. Just click on: TicketsTickets are also available from any Cumberland Rotarian and from the Home and Garden gate on Dunsmuir in Cumberland. Delivery is available. Early sellouts have been the rule for the first three events so don't be disappointed, order your tickets early. Part of the proceeds will be used to help the Comox Valley Hospice Society raise funds to build an hospice facility in the Comox Valley. Our club's commitment is $30,000 over the next 3 years. The Rotary clubs of Courtenay, Comox and Strathcona Sunrise are partnering with us in this endeavour.
Newest Rotarian Inducted on 2 September
Our club welcomed Chantal Stefan as our newest Rotarian at our meeting on 2 September. John Challender presided over the induction ceremony as all members welcomed Chantal to the club.
Rotarians Cook Breakfast for 300 in Cumberland
On Sunday, 9 August, most of our club members turned out at 6:00 AM in the Cumberland Village Square to cook and serve pancakes to participants in The Big Time Out or TBTO as it is known locally. The busiest time was from 10:00 AM until Noon because it took a while for the concert goers to rise from their long night of music and shorter night of sleep! Funds raised will be used to support a drama program in the Cumberland Community School. A big thank you to TBTO organizers for including us in the festivities.
Transit Shelters Branded
The transit shelters we provided to the Village of Cumberland last year now bear our logo and a message for the public so everyone will know where they came from. Thanks to PP Keith Tatton.
DIstrict Governor Brian Beagle and Barbara Beagle Pay Official Visit at Our Meeting in the Orchard on 15 July
District 5020 Governor Brian Beagle and his spouse, Rotarian Barbara Beagle paid our club a visit at our meeting in the orchard on Tuesday, 15 July. DG Brian spoke to us about Rotary and being a Rotarian and the dream we all have to see polio eradicated from the world. Barbara reminded us of the importance of literacy and numeracy and asked us to continue promoting both in our community.
Great Work Party in the Orchard - 9 July
Rotarians and family members turned out in good numbers for an hour of hard work cleaning up the orchard. Lawnmowers, whipper-snippers, hedge trimmers, rakes, loppers and secaturs received a workout trimming the grass and other material in readiness for the visit by District Governor Brian Beagle and his spouse Barbara for our meeting on 15 July. Thanks everyone for the hour of service, fun and fellowship that was followed by a Lucky break!
Julie Horwood - World Peace Scholarship Candidate
Our club is honoured to sponsor Julie Horwood, a career nurse, as a Rotary Peace Scholar. Julie began the process to become a Rotary Peace Scholar in the Fall of 2007, has completed all the tests and interviews at the District level and her application has been forwarded to the final jury level at Rotary's world headquarters in Evanston Illinois. She has been informed that she will learn whether she will be part of the 60-person class of 2009-2011 in November or December 2008. Julie is a strong candidate and deserving of selection.
President Linda in the Chair
President Linda Oprica led our first meeting of the new Rotary year at the Gatehouse Bistro on 8 July. She reminded everyone of RI President DK Lee's theme for 2008 - 2009: Make Dreams Real.
Celebrating Canada Day at the Orchard
President Linda asked as many Rotarians as possible to participate in a Canada Day, potluck breakfast in the orchard. Nineteen of our members, some spouses and guests attended and we had a great time. Rehabilitating the century-old orchard on Camp Road was our first community project begun before we were chartered and a has become great contribution to the community. The property owner has been very supportive of our efforts and through responsible tree husbandry and the eradication of invasive plants, the area has become a place where families like to walk and play.
Support to AIDS Orphans in Ethiopia
While visiting Ethiopia in October 2007 as part of a team of Rotarians participating in a polio immunization project, Cumberland Rotarian Dodie Brand encountered an orphanage in a private home that houses 16 orphans who have lost both parents to AIDS. She proposed that our club provide funds to help feed the youngsters and at our meeting on 13 May, WCS Director Stefan Pletscher presented Dodie with a cheque from our club for $1600 that Dodie will forward to her Rotary contacts in Ethiopia. Well done, Dodie! We never cease to be amazed by what we can do with so little.
Storage Container for Coal Hills BMX Society
At our meeting on 29 April, president Keith presented a cheque for $3,400 to Rick Grinham of the Coal Hills BMX Society for the purchase of a steel storage container for their equipment.
Transit Shelter Project Officially Complete
Cumberland Mayor Fred Bates cut the ribbon on the transit shelter on Cumberland Road at Bevan Road on Wednesday, 9 April, signifying the Village's acceptance of the two shelters our club provided as our major community project for 2007-2008. Following the ribbon cutting, participants gathered for a group photo inside the shelter. The third photo is of the second shelter located on Egremont Road at the corner of Dunsmuir Avenue. Lots of favourable comments have reached members of the club and the community office since the shelters went up at the beginning of April.
Club Provides Cash For Citizens of Kenya
Rotarian Alinda Ware accepted a cheque for $1500 on behalf of her club, the Rotary Club of Kakamega, Kenya from our WCS Director, Stefan Pletscher at our meeting on 18 March. The Kenyan Rotarians will use the money to help needy survivors of the violence that caused death, distress and displacement of the city's residents. Alinda has been working in Kenya for a number of years with CHES, the Canadian Harambee Education Society, helping students attend school by providing money for uniforms, fees and books. While back in Canada for part of each year, she attends our club and participates alongside everyone else in our work.
Club Supports Star Mountain Bike Racer
Community Service Director Steve Galbraith presented a cheque for $500 to Simon Garstin at our meeting on 18 March. Seventeen-year-old Simon Garstin is ranked at the No. 1 junior (under 19) mountain bike racer in British Columbia. Born and raised in the Comox valley, Simon is an excellent representative of the youth of our community. He will be participating in the Canadian championships in Québec in April and then on to the World Championships in Italy. Simon has been raising money to finance his travel, equipment and accommodations costs and has obtained sponsorship from local businesses. Anyone interested in helping Simon with his funding can reach him at: 250-338-5266 or sgarstin@gmail.com.