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In Memorium
REMEMBERING GORD MYLKS
(1940-2026)
- Fred Richmond
Past President 1976-77 and member from 1971 to 1989, Gord was a devoted Rotarian.  

He exemplified the advantages of Rotary’s classification of membership providing his legal training and experience in the paper work stages of developing Rotary Park and, also, the Erle Allan Trust.

For years, as a former member, he continued to represent our club at innumerable high school graduation ceremonies in presenting our club bursaries.

For those that remember Gord, they will recall he was a fun loving and hard working Rotarian.

To learn more about Gord, please go to:
 
MAE TAO CLINIC PROJECT COMPLETED
January 15, 2026
 
On January 15, 2026, Mae Tao Clinic in Thailand hosted a Zoom call to mark the receipt of all the new equipment for their Neonatal unit acquired with the collaborative support of Rotary.  Inspired and developed by former Queen's Meds student and current OBGYN resident at the University of Ottawa, Meghan Jenkins, during her practical field experience at the clinic in 2024, the Rotary Club of Kingston-Frontenac took the lead in bringing together Rotary resources in Canada and Thailand to acquire a recommended list of specialized equipment to improve the care available and improve the neonatal outcomes at MTC.
  
 
Together with Thai-based project leader Jerry Nelson from the Rotary Club of Chiang Mai Airport, Mae Tao Clinic founder Dr. Cynthia Maung was on-hand with MTC staff to thank Rotary for the donation which includes a new state-of-the-art incubator, infant CPAP machine and accessories, 2 new infusion pumps and a supply of new Amni hooks.  With the addition of this new equipment, the clinic is much better prepared to successfully treat pre-mature newborn infants with life-threatening health issues.
    
 
Primary support for the project came from generous donations made by K-F Rotary member Dr. John Cowan and the Barber Family Charitable Foundation, with other donations received from individual and corporate donors in both Canada and Thailand.  All funds raised in Canada (US$ 7,236) were matched dollar-for-dollar by a Rotary Foundation grant from District 7040.  Tax receipts and funds transfer support were provided by Erle Allan Trust and Inter Pares.  Collaborative administrative support in Thailand came from District 3360.
        
Meeting Dr. Cynthia in Ottawa, July 2025             
Meghan with Douglas Tanton (L) & Dr. John Cowan (R)
 
Thanks from Dr. Meghan Jenkins:

Dear friends and colleagues,

I wanted to extend my heartfelt thanks to each of you for the role you played in bringing this wonderful project to life. What began as an idea shaped by mentorship, generosity, and shared values is now complete, thanks to your collective support. Through your generosity, commitment, and trust, we were able to purchase everything on the equipment and resource list that Dr. Lily and I crafted together. Seeing that shared vision fully realized is both humbling and deeply rewarding.

I want to offer my sincere thanks to the Mae Tao Clinic staff, whose daily work and insight grounded this project in real clinical need. A very special thank you to Dr. Lily, whose leadership, clarity, and partnership shaped the project from the very beginning — this work would not exist in its current form without her guidance and collaboration.

I am profoundly grateful to the Barber Foundation and to Dr. John Cowan, whose generous support as our two largest donors made this project possible. I would also like to extend special thanks to Don Polk, whose leadership was instrumental in coordinating and championing the Rotary Club’s involvement from the beginning. My sincere appreciation as well to Dr. Cynthia for her leadership of the Mae Tao Clinic and for her continued mentorship and encouragement, and to the Rotary Club for your enthusiasm, generosity, and commitment to seeing this work through.

I would also like to apologize that I was unable to attend the ceremony on Wednesday. I was on call and managing patients at the hospital in Ottawa at the time, and I was very sorry to miss being there with many of you to celebrate. Even from afar, it meant a great deal to know the project was being marked and shared together.

This project was inspired by all of you, and I am genuinely excited about what lies ahead. I look forward to continuing my relationships with the Rotary Club, the Barber Foundation, and Mae Tao Clinic in the years to come, and to finding new ways to work together in service, learning, and partnership.

With my deepest thanks and appreciation,
 
Meghan Jenkins
Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident
University of Ottawa
 
From Dr. Lily Sumyat, head of Neonatal Unit at Mae Tao Clinic:
 
Dear Meghan,
 
Thank you very much for your kind words. It means a great deal to me and to our clinic to see your vision come full circle. The neonatal equipment we now have is truly a lifeline for fragile newborns, reducing mortality and easing the burden on families who might otherwise face overwhelming costs.
 
Your internship work- especially the perinatal reviews and your determination to find solutions- was the spark that inspired this effort. The memory of the very premature twins who had to share one incubator remains with us, and knowing that future babies will now have the care they need is a lasting testament to your dedication.
 
I really remember you and the impact you made here. I hope we will meet again soon, this time you as an OBGYN. It makes me very happy to think of crossing paths again in that way.
 
We are deeply grateful for your role in making this possible. Your contributions continues to strengthen our clinic's capacity to serve migrant and local families, and its impact will echo for years to come.
 
With heartfelt thanks,
Lily
   
2026 ROTARY JUNIOR OPEN CASHSPIEL
January 24, 2026
On Saturday January 24, 2026, the Royal Kingston Curling Club played host to a group of young curlers participating in the 2026 Rotary Junior Open Cashspiel.  Teams of junior curlers from around Eastern Ontario took a break from shoveling snow to enjoy a day of competitive curling and fellowship.
  
Following 3 games of fine shot making and sportsmanship, Youth Services Director, Don Polk, shared an overview of Rotary youth development opportunities with the curlers and their parents, highlighting the diverse experiences available via club-sponsored participation in the various Adventures, RYLA and International Youth Exchanges - both long- and short-term (fun fact - 2 of the mothers present identified themselves as having gone on a past Rotary youth exchange!).  
At the end, the competitive girls team from Royal Kingston Curling Club emerged as champions, with an exciting victory over the Huntley Curling Club team from Carp, ON.
 
MOVIE NIGHT FUNDRAISER
February 18, 2026
6:00pm
Providence Motherhouse

A Night to Remember is a 1958 British historical disaster film, directed by Roy Ward Baker. It is adapted from the 1955 book by Walter Lord, about the sinking of the RMS Titanic on 15 April 1912, after it struck an iceberg on her maiden voyage. Written by Eric Ambler, the film depicts the events of the night in a documentary style in considerable detail.[5] It stars Kenneth More as the ship's Second Officer Charles Lightoller and features Michael GoodliffeLaurence NaismithKenneth GriffithDavid McCallum and Tucker McGuire.

A Night to Remember was filmed at Pinewood Studios from October 1957 to March 1958. The production team, supervised by producer William MacQuitty, used blueprints of the ship to create authentic sets, while Fourth Officer Joseph Boxhall and ex-Cunard Commodore Harry Grattidge worked as technical advisors on the film. Its estimated budget of up to £600,000 made it the most expensive film made in Britain up to that time.[4] The film's score was written by William Alwyn.

Released on 3 July 1958, A Night to Remember was widely praised for its sets, soundtrack, cinematography, historical accuracy and performances; it won the 1959 "Samuel Goldwyn International Award" at the Golden Globe Awards. Among the many films about the Titanic, A Night to Remember is regarded highly by Titanic historians and survivors for its accuracy, despite its modest production values compared with the 1997 film Titanic.

D7040 WINTER WEEKEND
December 5-7, 2026

On the weekend of December 5-7, the current Inbound & Rebound YouthEx students from around District 7040 gathered in Kingston for a weekend of winter fun!
 
From the Kingston-Frontenac club were long-term exchange students Cole (rebound) and Christian (inbound).  They enjoyed a Kingston Frontenacs hockey game, ice-skating at the Invista Centre and some curling at the Royal Kingston Curling Club.
   
 
 
Nico in Taiwan
On Nico’s Exchange in Taiwan, he recently attended a Buddhist festival with his Host Family.
 
 
 
 
Christian in México!
 
After enjoying the Club’s Holiday Dinner in December, Christian joined his Host Family to spend Navidad en México!  Here he is shown climbing the pyramids at Teotihuacan (L) and visiting the National Museum of Anthropology in México City (R) with his Host Father Mauricio. 
 
 
While there he bravely tried the local cuisine, including Escamoles Tacos (Mexican caviar made with ant eggs) and Chapulines (fried grasshoppers)!  Delish!
 

 
 
HOLIDAY DINNER 2025
 
On the wintery evening of December 10, 2025, a festive group of Club members, spouses and friends gathered at The Loaf N’ Ale for the annual Holiday dinner and some Christmas cheer.
 
     
  
 
 
 
Led by Kingston-Frontenac’s own internationally-renowned chorister, Jim Reid, with able support from Jennifer and Douglas, the group enjoyed singing several seasonal favourites in between savory bites.
 

Topping off the evening, Susan and Russ were the lucky ones to go home with a door prize!
 
 
Thanks very much to M-C for organizing the event and to all members and guests who came out to make the evening a spirited success!  Happy Holidays to all!
2025
 
On October 29, 2025, the Loaf N' Ale was filled to capacity with Club members as well as students who had been sponsored by the Rotary Club of Kingston-Frontenac for various youth development experiences in 2025.
 
  
        Caidynce                                   Cheng                       
YouthEx ST Tour          (missing Gloria, Fernanda, Leo)
Taiwan                                      RYLA              
                                             
 
Students drawn from 6 different area high schools, many accompanied by a parent or guardian, shared highlights from their experiences including RYLA (May 2025), Adventures in Citizenship (May 2025), Indigenous Understanding (August 2025), the Environment (September 2025) & High Technology (October 2025) as well as international Youth Exchanges to both Taiwan (short-term in June/ July 2025) and Japan (long term 2024-25).
 
      
  Abbey              William & Jon              Maria    
Citizenship          Understanding        Environment
 Ottawa       Peterborough-Kawartha    Cornwall  
                              
 
Several of the students were known to club members having participated previously in other Rotary youth development experiences:
  • Caidynce went to Cornwall in September 2024 for Adventures in the Environment and then stepped up for a short-term youth experience - the Taiwan Harmony Tour in June/ July 2025.
  • Fernanda, our inbound 2024-25 YouthEx student from Brazil, went to RKY Camp in May 2025 for RYLA.
  • Jacob & Grey, who went to the 2025 Adventure in High Technology, are both members for the past 2 years of Lake Effect Robotics - Team 2708, the FIRST Robotics FRC team sponsored by RCKF.  They were joined at AiHT by Christian, our inbound 2025-26 YouthEx student from Germany, whose studies are heavily focused on the Sciences.
  • Rebound student Cole, now back from his long-term exchange in Japan, started with Rotary on the 2023 Adventure in High Technology.
  
                                                                  Jacob        Grey     Christian
                                                                High Technology
                                                                Nepean-Kanata
                                                             
 
The students all shared how their Rotary experiences introduced them to new people and places and opened the door to new opportunities.  Without exception, they all expressed how worthwhile their experience had been, how their expectations had been exceeded and they were all very thankful for the sponsorship provided by Rotary!
 
   
Cole
YouthEx LT
Japan
 
 
Thanks to the Rotary members who raised
funds to support these Youth Development
Programs by volunteering at Bingo!
  
AN EVENING WITH DG GRAEME FRASER
October 15, 2025
 
A good turnout of K-F members was on hand to welcome DG Graeme Fraser and his wife Lynne to the Club's new home at The Loaf N' Ale. 
 
Accompanied by AG John Gale and DGN Elsabé Falkson, the DG spoke about his more than 3 decades in Rotary, his family history in Rotary and his pride in being a Rotarian.  Sporting his "End Polio Now" t-shirt, he highlighted the significance of this Rotary Foundation initiative and recognized the K-F club for continuing to "punch above its weight" in being a positive force for good both at home and abroad. 
 
To date, DG Graeme has visited about half of the 70 clubs in District 7040 to "plant the seed" of Rotary and he recounted stories from some of his travels around the district, including to Iqaluit, as well as his recent trip to the annual Zone conference in Winnipeg. 
 
The Frasers were very generous with their time, as they were the last to leave after a full evening of engaged and inspiring fraternization.
  
 
 
 
JENNIFER PATELLI HONOURED
During his visit to Kingston-Frontenac, DG Graeme Fraser recognized Jennifer Patelli as the Club's latest Paul Harris Fellow, presenting her with her certificate and pin.  Congratulations Jennifer - many thanks for your active service and many contributions!
 
 
 
- Jennifer Patelli
2025-26
 
Earlier in 2025, Kingston declared a food insecurity emergency as an estimated 1 in 3 households are unable to afford meals, according to Public Health. 
 
The Community Service Committee decided at their October meeting to strategically focus the Club's support this Rotary year on food insecurity initiatives in the local community.  As well, the committee decided to authorize grants for projects in amounts sufficient to have a significant impact.  
 
For 2025-26, the committee is pleased to announce the first Community Service Project grants to:
 
$10,000 GRANT TO LIONHEARTS
Lionhearts continues to expand its service offerings in the Kingston area and is now operating mobile, pop-up markets offering ready-made foods and other products at discounted prices in various neighbourhood locations.  Items for sale at these locations need to have labels to identify the brand, ingredients and nutritional information in compliance with federal regulations.  Funds from this grant will go towards the cost of this equipment for these mobile markets, creating more products to donate/ sell at low cost.
 
 
$5,000 GRANT TO MARTHA'S TABLE
Martha's Table provides a caring place where people in need can have access to a nutritious meal and find community social support.  In response to ever-increasing demand, Martha's Table continues expanding its capacity to prepare meals to eat-in or take-out from its Princess St. location or for home delivery to those with limited mobility.  Funds from this grant will be used to upgrade kitchen equipment for food preparation and serving.
 
Thanks to all the Club members who made these grants possible by volunteering for Bingo shifts at Play! Gaming & Entertainment Centre.
 
 
   
THANKSGIVING MEAL AT MARTHA'S TABLE
October 13, 2025
 
Meals served (Eat-in & Take-out):  438 + 125 (Home Delivery)
 
From the Martha's Table website:
Thank you to the Rotary Club of Kingston-Frontenac for their generous support of our Thanksgiving meal (Monday Oct 13 1-4pm).  They provided all the turkey, potatoes, vegetables, cranberry sauce, cheese, pies and whipped cream plus several items needed to make dressing!  WOW!  Thank you Rotary Club of Kingston-Frontenac!!
 
Thanks to all the Club members who made Thanksgiving at Martha's Table possible by volunteering for Bingo shifts at Play! Gaming & Entertainment Centre.
COMMUNITY GARDEN POTATO HARVEST
October 11,2025
 
      
 
   
After being rained out mid-week, a group of K-F members, family and friends gathered at the Robinson Community Garden on October 11 to finish the 2025 potato harvest.
 
Under the leadership and expertise of the Kingston Club's Darlene Clement, a crop of potatoes and mixed vegetables overcame dry conditions during the summer to produce a harvest which will benefit South Frontenac families in need through the winter months. 
image
 
STUDENTS SAIL IN
FALL CORK REGATTA
September 13, 2025
 
International inbound YouthEx student Christian, a member of the Düsseldorfer Yacht Club in Germany, teamed up with local sailor David from Collins Bay Yacht Club to sail a C420 at the Fall CORK regatta held at Portsmouth Olympic Harbour.  Competing against 28 other boats from around Ontario and western Quebec, the boys navigated calm and inconsistent winds to finish as high as a Top 10 finish on Saturday and 8th place in the Sunday race.  Despite conditions better-suited for canoeing, the boys enjoyed their weekend and got a great tan! 
 
Special thanks to DGN Elsabe Falkson and Don Polk for their efforts in helping to find a local boat for the boys to sail at CORK.
 
 
       
 
ROTARIANS AT
2025 KINGSTON FALL FAIR
September 11-14, 2025
 
Rotarians from the Kingston-area Rotary Clubs, including Kingston-Frontenac, volunteered at the admission gates of the 193rd annual Fall Fair.  With outstanding weather for the entire weekend, a record crowd of 30,000 enjoyed all the attractions - from the agricultural pavilion to the midway - making sure Rotarians were kept busy scanning and selling tickets, assuring a safe and orderly entrance and helping to help make sure of a good time for all! 
 
Thanks to K-F Rotarians Susan Freitas, Randy Beck, John Mirski, Jennifer Patelli and Don Polk for volunteering to raise funds to support future Club projects.
 
(l-r) Susan Freitas (K-F), John Shideler (K), 
        Randy Beck (K-F), Kate Green (K)
                               
Rear: Don Polk (K-F), Krishna Burra (K), Cynthia Surette (Nap)
Front: Kathy Mourtos (KW), Anne-Marie Jennings (KW)
 
  
2025-26 PROJECTS
 
 
THAILAND
Improving Neonatal Outcomes
at Mae Tao Clinic
- Don Polk
 
In the Spring of 2024, Meghan Jenkins, a 3rd year Queen's Medical student approached the Rotary Club of Kingston-Frontenac to sponsor her practical internship in the field at the Mae Tao Clinic (MTC) in Mae Sot, Thailand on the border with Myanmar (Burma).  During her internship she worked in the MTC's neonatal health unit which provides health care services and delivers upwards of 80 newborns each day to Burmese refugee mothers fleeing the civil war.
 
Upon her return in late Sept 2024, Meghan shared her experiences with K-F Rotarians and described a situation where the Mae Tao Clinic serves a high volume of marginalized and undocumented patients along the Thai-Myanmar border.  She spoke of the Clinic's outdated infrastructure and that staff lack access to some of the most basic medical equipment.
 
In addition to her internship training and service, Meghan also conducted a review of historical data at the Clinic and, based on her experience, proposed a plan for improving neonatal infant mortality outcomes including investment in new equipment.  Her proposal was the basis for a project co-developed by the Rotary Club of Kingston-Frontenac and submitted for a 2025-26 Rotary Foundation District Matching Grant.  The total project budget is US$15,376.
 
 
 
Funds raised from donors in Canada and Thailand, together with matching District Designated Funds (US$7,238) requested from the Rotary Foundation, will be used to purchase and install essential equipment from a prioritized list developed by Meghan in collaboration with Dr. Li Li Sumyat, the staff obstetrician gynecologist, and frontline staff at the Mae Tao Clinic: · CPAP Machines · Incubator · Infusion Pumps · Amni Hooks.
 
Not only was the Club's International Service Committee impressed and inspired by the opportunity to help improve the quality of basic healthcare in an area of such great need, but also to extend the Club's global reach to a new region (southeast Asia).  To do so, Kingston-Frontenac contacted Jerry Nelson at the Chiang Mai Airport Rotary Club, whose extensive local experience in Thailand working on multiple past projects with Mae Tao Clinic is a great asset.
 
The grant application was approved by the Rotary Foundation in August 2025 and, in collaboration with the Chiang Mai Airport Rotary Club and the Mae Tao Clinic, the project is expected to be completed this Fall.
 
 
 
On Saturday Sept. 6, Mae Tao Clinic founder, Dr. Cynthia Maung, was in Ottawa with a group of Burmese health care leaders to study Canada's healthcare system. They are shown here meeting with K-F Project Manager Don Polk and Dr. Meghan Jenkins, now an OBGYN resident at the University of Ottawa.
 
The stories shared by these courageous health care leaders in overcoming extreme hardship in their homeland to make such a difference in saving lives were truly inspiring.    For the Rotary Club of Kingston-Frontenac to help bring about such a beneficial impact by leveraging Rotary's global resources  exemplifies “the Magic of Rotary”!
  
What is Rotary?
 

Rotary is an international network of local clubs for people who want to create lasting change and have fun doing it.

Our Club
At the Rotary Club of Kingston-Frontenac, our hands on approach goes beyond providing financial support to projects. Club members pitch in. Whether cleaning up Rotary Park or building a rain water collection system in rural Tanzania, K-F Rotarians are involved from concept development, through implementation, to long term mentoring. We get involved and we have a good time doing it.
Who We Are

Our Vision: Together we contribute to lasting improvements in our community, internationally, and in ourselves.

Our Mission: We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.

Our Values: We are a dedicated group of inspired individuals guided by Rotary's 4-way test and its 7 areas of focus who pursue relevant social causes to improve lives in the Kingston community and beyond.

2025-26 EnviroClub Bronze Award
Our club has been awarded the Bronze Award for its sustained dedication to environmental issues.
 
Meeting Information
Our Meetings are
IN-PERSON - JOIN US!
 
*****New Updates*****
The Loaf N’ Ale British Pub
645 Gardiners Rd
6:15 - 8:00 pm
(1st & 3rd Wednesdays each month)
 
Mid-month Food Packing & Monthly Pub Night 
(2nd Wednesday each month)
 
Community Service Night 
(4th Wednesday each month)
 
Fun & Fellowship on W5
(5th Wednesday of any month)
 
Please consult the Calendar on this website for details, times and locations for these events.
ROTARIAN CODE OF CONDUCT
As a Rotarian, I will:
1. Act with integrity and high ethical standards in my personal and professional life

2. Deal fairly with others and treat them and their occupations with respect

3. Use my professional skills through Rotary to mentor young people, help those with special needs, and improve people’s quality of life in my community and in the world

4. Avoid behaviour that reflects adversely on Rotary or other Rotarians

5. Help maintain a harassment-free environment in Rotary meetings, events, and activities; report any suspected harassment; and help ensure non-retaliation to those individuals that report harassment
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