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District 7080
Deep in the heart of busy and populated Southern Ontario the
Rotarians of District 7080 have done it all since their charter in
1989 established their limited geographic boundaries. There has
been no limiting of Service Above Self however as service has been
the key in their community projects that have ranged from
partnerships with the hospitals, Society for Crippled Children,
local schools and many and varied local youth programs.
Raising money for service to the community has been a
means of establishing fellowship within the membership but has also
enabled the Clubs to contribute to those enterprises that make the
community a better place in which to live. Theatre and museums,
community parks and recreation facilities, hospital development, the
local YMCA/YWCA, summer camps and Hospice centres have been
financially supported. Money isn’t everything so equal time is
spent mentoring while taking kids fishing and taking Seniors
shopping or taking those in need to medical appointments, all
popular activities helped by supportive Rotary members.
Typically a Rotarian practice, members sell tickets to
win many worthwhile prizes but they also sell hot dogs, hamburgers,
ribs, Canadian maple syrup, hams and tulips and have turned the
profits into community fun like the Dragon Races or local parades or
fireworks or to support fiddle contests. Planting the seeds of
friendship with student exchanges and Friendship Exchanges between
Rotarians, and sharing home building with Habitat for Humanity has
been equaled by tree planting, constructing community gardens and
building monuments to peace.
Where ever there is fellowship and community support,
Rotarians from the four corners of the District, from Tillsonburg to
Cambridge to Kitchener to Mississauga to Oakville are there.
The work of District 7080 reaches far beyond the four
corners of home and has contributed significantly to the success of
Polioplus. Eradication of polio has shared the involvement of
members who have engaged in building schools in Latin America,
orphanages in Nepal, and a milk processing plant in Tanzania. Kids
have always been part of the District’s concern and support to keep
the underprivileged off the streets in many countries has been given
equal attention to initiating cottage industries in Africa, shipping
books overseas for libraries and drilling water wells in the
Philippines.
To build peace and goodwill among nations is an on-going
objective of Rotary and in 1989 in recognition of Jim James
leadership, Past Rotary International President Hugh Archer stated
that “the last Russian resistance to Rotary’s expansion in Russia
evaporated with the success and fellowship generated by the District
7080 Moscow Limb Camp.” Concern about Rotary in Russia further
evaporated through an Ambassadorial Scholarship and Group Study
Exchange followed by medical equipment and supplies championed by
Past District Governor Bert Grapes.
Russia has not been the only recipient of International
assistance from District 7080. Lighthouse Literacy Projects and
other Literacy projects and 3-H grants, have had their beneficial
effects in many places around the world thanks to leaders like
Barbara Bulmer, Norma Gamble, Ab Moore, Jim Stevens and Barry Howie,
all assisted over the years by outstanding club Presidents and
District Governors. |
