October 2019
S M T W T F S
29
30
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
01
02
 
Upcoming Events
  • Board Meeting
    824 San Malo Crescent
    Oct 21, 2019
    6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
  • Board Meeting
    824 San Malo Crescent
    Nov 18, 2019
    6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
  • Board Meeting
    824 San Malo Crescent
    Dec 16, 2019
    6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
 
Our Foundation
The Rotary Foundation transforms donations into service projects that change lives both close to home and around the world.  During the past 100 years, the Foundation has spent $3 billion on life-changing, sustainable projects.  The mission of The Rotary Foundation is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.

Your donation makes a difference to those who need our help most. More than 90 percent of donations go directly to supporting service projects around the world, carried out by 35,000 Rotary  clubs.  Through donations to the Rotary Foundation, we’ve wiped out 99.9 percent of all polio cases in the world.

The Paul Harris Society recognizes members and friends of the  Rotary Foundation who contribute $1000 annually to the Annual Fund, PolioPlus or approved global grants.  To learn more about the Paul Harris Society, click here.


Pictured here is Parksville AM Rotarian, Bashir El-Khalafawi (seated second from left), currently District 5020 Paul Harris Society Chair. Bashir visits clubs throughout the District to talk about the importance of the Paul Harris Society and how we can support the Rotary Foundation.
 
Rotarians Think Globally ...

 
Rotarians have been on the job site in Mexico for the past four years!  See Rotarians "Up Their Game" in Mexico. For more photos and a daily account of how a "small but mighty" group of Rotarians and friends built an adult education centre in just 8 days, click here.  And be sure to read about the International Award received by the Rotary Club of Parksville AM for their ongoing work in Mexico.

Projects from other parts of the world include the building of a corn mill in Sunyani, Ghana.
 
 
... and Act Locally


While Rotarians are often known and recognized for their work on Rotary projects, many of our members work locally over and above their Rotary activities.   Click here for a listing of only some of the numerous organizations that members of the Rotary Club of Parksville AM have devoted hours of volunteer time to support.  Need something done in the community - involve a Rotarian!
 
 
Fundraising For Causes!


Fundraising is an important activity for all Rotary clubs, as it takes money to be able to carry out humanitarian projects in our local communities and throughout the world.

Parksville AM fundraisers are many and varied.  The Rotary Recyclers, shown above, collect bottles and cans from The Beach Club Resort for processing at the Parksville Recycling Depot.
 
Food events have long been a Club tradition and, most recently, members operated concessions at the Oceanside Idlers Car Show (shown below) and the Knox Fall Fair. From breakfast fare of pancakes and sausages to crowd favorites of burgers and hot dogs, Parksville AM Rotarians are perfecting the art of food service as a way of raising funds.
 
 
One of the signature fundraising events of the Rotary Club of Parksville AM is the RCMP Musical Ride, held every four years.  Not only does this spectacular event raise funds for local and international Rotary projects, it also provides an opportunity for the public to experience the heritage and traditions of the RCMP. Click here for a story on the last Ride held in 2018.
 
 
Rotarians: People of Action

Parksville AM

Engage Rotary Change Lives

We meet every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at 7:00AM
The Beach Club Resort
181 Beachside Drive
Parksville, BC  V9P 2H5
Canada
DistrictSiteIcon
District Site
VenueMap
Venue Map
 

CLUB VISION STATEMENT

Rotary Club of Parksville A.M. is a service club of community leaders who work within the local and world community to make a difference.

 

CLUB MISSION STATEMENT

Rotary Club of Parksville A.M. provides service to our community and advances world understanding by building on the strengths of our members.

 

ROTARY FOUR WAY TEST

Is it the truth?
Is it fair to all concerned?
Will it build good will and better friendships?
Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

 

 
What's Happening
Rotary Scholarships Supporting Our Youth
As students head back to school this fall, two Ballenas grads begin a new educational chapter, with support from the Rotary Club of Parksville AM for their post-secondary studies.  Rotary President and former Ballenas Principal Bill Rawlins was delighted to recognize the accomplishments of two students through the presentation of Rotary scholarships.

Shown below is Alex Roberts, winner of our Academic Scholarship which will support her studies in the College of Medicine at the University of Calgary.  Alex was one of only two students in all of Canada who was accepted to a special program where medical studies begin right out of high school without an undergraduate degree.

 
Our Vocational scholarship winner, shown below, is Maya Cudney.  Maya will be studying Film at Vancouver Island University where she plans to specialize in documentary films and story-telling.

 
A total of $3000 in scholarship funding was received by these two students for graduation year 2019.  These scholarships are awarded annually as part of Rotary’s commitment to the youth of our community.
 
Rotarian Bill Rawlins receives Sovereign’s Medal For Volunteers
 
Posted on Sep 07, 2019
The Rotary Club of Parksville AM is exceedingly proud to announce that Rotarian Bill Rawlins has been awarded the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers.  The award was presented by the Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia on behalf of Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada on September 5 at a ceremony at Government House. 
 
The Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers recognizes the exceptional volunteer achievements of Canadians from across the country in a wide range of fields.  Bill was among a select group of 44 recipients receiving this award.

Bill Rawlins was born and raised on Vancouver Island. For 29 years he was known as Mr. R the teacher, and for last 14 of those years he was the Vice Principal, and later the Principal, of Ballenas Secondary in Parksville. In 2005, Bill accompanied his youngest daughter on a trip to the Dominican Republic where he participated in a house build organized by the humanitarian non-profit organization, Live Different.  From that point on, Bill's life would take a dramatically different turn.

Over the past 14 years, Bill has led teams on 56 Live Different humanitarian build projects to the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Mexico, and has served on the organization’s Board of Directors. As an active member of the Rotary Club of Parksville AM, he introduced his fellow Rotarians to Live Different build projects, five of which have now been accomplished.

Rotarian Cara MacDonald was a student at Ballenas High School during Bill’s time there.  She provides the following testimonial which really says it all:
 
“Bill was a teacher, Vice principal, and Principal as I moved through my middle and secondary school years. I can tell you for sure that he was beloved by every student whose life he touched. When we ‘graduated’ from middle school (Grade 8), our class dedicated ‘Forever Young’ by Rod Stewart to Bill at our graduation dance. His patience and dedication to education was endless. I was a good student; there were many who weren’t. Bill never gave up on any student. He probably saved the lives of many. I am in awe of him and I am not surprised at all that he is receiving this award.”
 
The medal consists of a silver circular disc depicting a contemporary effigy of the Sovereign, circumscribed with the inscription in capital letters of the Canadian Royal Title and the word “Canada,” separated by two maple leaves.
 
The reverse indicates the ideas of caring and generosity, represented by two interlaced hearts. The sunburst pattern of the rim symbolizes the time that volunteers are giving and their actions. The ribbon uses the vice-regal colours of blue and gold. The five gold stripes evoke the fingers of a hand, present in the Caring Canadian Award emblem, while the deep red colour is associated with royalty.

Congratulations Bill.  This award is so well deserved, and your fellow Rotarians are all very proud of you.
 
 
 
Time To Take Out The Trash
Photo shows Mike Gillen of Kestrel Helicopters receiving a plaque from the Rotary Club of Parksville AM in appreciation of his volunteer efforts in support of the clean-up of Little Mountain in Parksville.

On May 4 - 5, 2019, the Rotary Club of Parksville AM joined with the residents of Little Mountain and other interested volunteers to take out the trash from this pristine wilderness area. Over the years, the base of Little Mountain has become a dumping ground, either because the dumpers didn’t want to pay for proper disposal of their garbage or because they thought it would be exciting to throw something large over a 100 foot cliff.

Working with Kestrel Helicopters, items were lifted out of this remote location at the mountain base and dropped in a receiving area where sorters prepared the garbage for transport and disposal. During two and a half hours of flying time, a total of seven tons was removed, including over a ton of tires, three and a half tons of metal and more than two tons of assorted garbage.

For a complete listing of all the volunteers and businesses who donated their time and resources to this clean-up, click here.

While this was a good start, it did not begin to return the area to its previous pristine state.  It is estimated that approximately 50% of the debris was removed and thus the job is not yet finished.  The Rotary Club of Parksville AM is already planning another clean-up effort in the coming year in order to get the job done.
 
Rotary Team Mexico Day 5
Posted on Feb 10, 2019
Day 5 
 
Today has had some intense challenges. There were some injuries, loss of pets and we parted ways with a beloved team member due to personal reasons back home. They will be missed very much ❤️ Sending hugs and good thoughts to them. Thankfully everyone is safe and okay. Despite the downfalls of the day we pulled through and worked together to finish what we started. We got the walls up! It was a big job that required the help of everyone on our team. We also got a fair bit of painting done, the beam up and eight wall panels as well! 
 
Very thankful to have such a wonderful team. After today we came together to debrief and check in with everyone. The bond and love that has been created between everyone here in such a short amount of time is very special and it’s lovely to be a part of. Great job everyone for pulling through and supporting each other 🤗
 
 
Read more...
Rotary Team Mexico Day 2
Posted by Mae Hunt on Feb 09, 2019
Day 2
 
Today we painted 8 roof panels and frames and finished the side walls. We also built the two end walls! One of which was built by our Ballenas Interact students with the guidance of Ray. He was a huge help and we all learned a lot from him. Katie and I learned how to use a chop saw and cut the studs to length for the wall. Devin, David, John and Aahren and the rest of us nailed the frame together, then secured the sheeting after making sure it was properly aligned. After they were nailed down we teamed up to paint the wall. Aahren and Devin also got the chance to use a skilsaw! Many exciting new experiences and skills. Such great work from our Interact students today! 
Everyone worked so hard today and we are very excited to the get the walls up tomorrow!
 
Read more...
Rotary Team Mexico 2019
Posted by Mae Hunt on Feb 08, 2019
Rotary Team Mexico 2019 is making their way (with a few bumps along the way) to Vicente Guerrero, Mexico. The team is thrilled to have a youth contingent this year. This year's project will see the construction of a high school classroom. Stay tuned for more updates!
 
Day 1
 
Yesterday, we were unable to cross the border but made the best of our situation and stayed the night in San Diego. This morning we crossed the border to Tijuana, spent the day on the Live Different bus, with a nice stop at the beach, and made it to our base! Everyone is looking forward to starting the build bright and early tomorrow morning.
 
Read more...
Recycling Offers Returns For Rotary
Posted on Dec 19, 2018
The Rotary Recyclers have delivered their last load of 2018 to the Parksville Bottle & Recycling Depot, capping off a successful fundraising year.  Since the inception of this project in 2016, over $16,000 has been raised for Rotary projects, an accomplishment requiring a few hours per week by a team of very dedicated Rotarians.  The Rotary Club of Parksville AM also acknowledges, with gratitude, the generosity of The Beach Club and its Manager, Arthur Wong for allowing the Club to take on this activity and retain the profits for the benefit of Rotary projects.
 
 
The Rotary Recyclers also recognize the invaluable support received by the staff at the Parksville Bottle and Recycling Depot.  Each week, we are met by their friendly smiles and willing guidance.  Recycling is not as easy as it once was.  Every week, it seems that new types of bottles appear and, with all the emerging craft distilleries and breweries, it is sometimes hard to distinguish wine from beer bottles or pop cans from coolers.  The Depot staff are exceedingly patient and always constructive in correcting our mistakes.  Our thanks to Toni and Katie (shown below), and to all the Depot staff for their ongoing support.
 
 
The Rotary Recycling project is a significant initiative on many levels.  Recycling is important because it makes the environment a cleaner place, conserves materials, saves energy, and reduces the amount of garbage in landfills.  And when the money raised through recycling is put to projects that make our community and our world a better place, then you have a "win-win" all around!
 
The Rotary Recyclers will resume their weekly sorting sessions at The Beach Club on January 2 at 8:30 am.  Anyone interested in supporting this ongoing fundraiser is welcome to join in the fun!
 
 
 
RI Convention 2020

Discover the true spirit of aloha and Rotary with your family, friends, and fellow Rotarians in Honolulu

June 6-10, 2020

 
 
Rotary in the News
Turn On The Taps
Children at Live Different school in Cap Haitien, Haiti turn on the taps for the first time in their lives ... a cistern below the school kitchen was funded by Parksville AM Rotary.
 
RI News Feed
 
Rotary Links
 
Club Executives & Directors
President
Ray Walker
President Elect
Bill Rawlins
Secretary
Cara MacDonald
Treasurer
Steve Alexander-Pope
Immediate Past President
Bill Rawlins
Fundraising Chairperson
John O'Brien
 
Club Documents
 
Photo Gallery
 
Disaster Aid Canada
The Rotary Club of Parksville AM works with The Beach Club Resort, a generous donor of supplies of soaps, shampoos and bedding which are then delivered by Club members to Disaster Aid Canada in Victoria.  These much needed products are distributed to victims of disaster at home and abroad. 
 
Join Us!
Rotary is made up of ordinary people doing extraordinary things, at home and across the globe.
 
The Rotary Club of Parksville AM is always delighted to welcome new members.  To find out how you can get involved, please call or send an email to:
 
Bill Rawlins: 250-240-0326 or bill.rawlins@gmail.com
 
John O'Brien: 250-228-0020 or john.obrien.rotary@gmail.com
 
Be the Inspiration!