At the Board meeting, the District Action Plan was reviewed with the consensus that our Club has made considerable progress towards completing goals. For example, we have now raised $1,415 for Polio Plus and are only $85 short of achieving the goal! In other areas, I am highlighting some of the main achievements relating to the District Action Plan - we had strong Club presence at the District Conference, with the attendance of five members and our exchange student, who found the experience inspirational; we have collaborated with the Kingston Rotaract Club in food packing and the Robinson Garden. Members of their club were invited to our meetings. We have "Expanded Our Reach" through our Polio Plus event at Market Square, with attendant publicity. Our Youth Director has involved many young people in Adventures and exchanges, meeting with groups at High Schools. The International Services Committee has promoted computer training in Africa and has just submitted an application for a District Matching Grant to provide medical supplies to the Mae Tao Clinic in Thailand. Our Community Services Committee, by way of donating to the Inclusive Playground Project, will see Rotary promotional materials advertised, and will further promote Rotary by coordinating the volunteering of nine club members at the June 7th event. Club Services has produced an attractive retractable banner which is on display at our club meetings and community events.
In other news, nine KF Rotarians helped with the Rotary Park cleanup, plus Bill Egnatoff from the Cataraqui-Kingston Club. A visit to the BGC Southeast (Boys and Girls Club) by another 11 members gave us opportunity to view the facility and in particular the STEM lab, where we were treated to a robotics demonstration from the Lake Effect Robotics team. Six young students, recipients of KFLA Science Fair awards, visited our club with their impressive projects, which they explained to us. There is hope for our planet!
We are actively promoting the sale of tickets for our Theatre Night Out Fundraiser, a comedy play by Doug Bowie, local playwright, to take place on June 18th at Domino Theatre. We hope to see you there.
As I was putting together a summary of our work in East Africa in 2024-25, it became apparent that there was a lot more than could be put in a single Rota-Teller article. As a result, I have decided to prepare 4 articles with photos of the 4 project areas that we invested in 2024-25. Each area will be addressed in one of the next four Rotatellers. This should get me through August during which time we will be considering which projects we want to support in 2025-26.
I hope you enjoy this first installment.
- Peter Morrin
Tanzania 2024-25
Ilet Shirima (Primary 3) & Timothy Massawe (Head)
Bright Future School, Moshi, Tanzania
STUDENT SPONSORSHIP OF ILET SHIRIMA
This is the first in a four part series of our work in East Africa in Rotary year 2024-25.
In the summer of 2022, we had a presentation from Timothy Massawe of the Hai Rotary Club in Moshi, Tanzania. He had recently created the Bright Future Primary School and wanted to be able to offer his school’s advanced curriculum and excellent teachers to deserving students from the nearby villages. In conjunction with other members of the Hai Rotary club and local community leaders he sought out students who showed strong academic potential, but whose parents or guardians did not have the means to pay for school fees.
He brought a list of potential candidates with him on his Rotary Tour to Canada in 2022. At the suggestion of the nominating committee, the Rotary Club of Kingston-Frontenac decided to sponsor Ilet Shirima for her Kindergarten year starting in January 2023.
Acknowledging the importance of supporting students to the end of academic milestones we agreed to support Ilet at least to the end of Primary School, eight years down the road. Since 2024 John Cowan has personally taken up the support for Ilet’s education, freeing funds for other development projects in East Africa.
Ilet has diligently kept her end of the bargain, working hard to achieve her first class standing. She is caring and helpful to both teachers and her fellow students. The latest picture was taken by the author in November 2024. Ilet is now 8 years old and started Primary 3 in January 2025.
Congratulations Ilet - First in her class!
Staying in Tanzania..........
Meghan Jenkins made it to the summit (17,685 ft)
of Mt. Kilimanjaro this past week (May 16, 2025)
On April 23, 2025, 11 Club members visited the new home of Robotics in Kingston, now located in BGC South East - the Boys & Girls Club of Kingston in the former Frontenac Mall.
The facility houses upgraded recreational and educational facilities for a wide variety of activities directed towards youth and seniors in the community, including indoor swimming pools, basketball courts, a fitness academy, Reg Shadbolt Learning Centre and the new STEM & Robotics Centre.
It serves not only as the new home of the 3 competitive FIRST robotics teams in Kingston, including Lake Effect Robotics, but is an interactive space offering hands-on exposure to youth of all ages, from primary through high school. Team members from Lake Effect Robotics were on-hand to provide a tour of the facilities and demonstrate their robot on the field.
Any Rotary Club members interested in volunteering are most welcome and encouraged to click on the following link which has a form with current opportunities, schedules, and programs in both the STEM & Robotics Centre and literacy initiatives:
The Youth/ Vocational Service Committee worked diligently in 2024-25 to continue rebuilding an active program following the pandemic shutdown. With the expansion of activities to again include sponsoring and hosting an International Youth Exchange student, the Club offers a wide diversity of developmental experiences for youth including:
Sponsor one student for the Adventures in the Environment in Cornwall.
Sponsor three (3) students for the Adventure in High-Technology, again an in-person experience in Ottawa-Kanata.
Arranged for the Dean of Engineering & Applied Science at Queen's to participate as a keynote speaker in the Adventure.
Sponsor one student for the Adventure in Citizenship in Ottawa.
Sponsor four (4) students for the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) at RKY Camp in Parham.
Sponsor one student for the Adventure in (Indigenous) Understanding in Peterborough-Kawartha.
Sponsor the "Service Above Self" student awards at 5 local high schools (LDSB - 4, ALCDSB - 1), Queen's University and St. Lawrence College.
Support Bayridge Secondary School's initiative to re-start its commercial kitchen post-pandemic, part of the Food Insecurity strategy.
Support Holy Cross High School's production of Pippin, leading a Rotary group of 22 attendees.
Sponsor Lake Effect Robotics - Team 2708, the Limestone District School Board's competitive FIRST Robotics team.
Recruit and sponsor two (2) students for Rotary's Short Term Exchange Program (STEP) - outbound tour to Taiwan in summer 2025.
Recruit and sponsor one student for Rotary's Long Term Exchange Program (LTEP) - outbound to Japan, inbound from Brazil.
Volunteer at the KFL&A Youth Symposium at Rideau Acres Campground.
Respectfully submitted,
Don Polk
Chair,
Youth/ Vocational Services Committee
2024-25 HIGHLIGHTS
The Community Service Committee met monthly in 2024-25 to determine how to best serve the Kingston community. Here is what your Club has done so far:
Expanded the monthly packing of boxes containing food staples at Lionhearts to also include a mid-month packing session prior to Pub Night.
Provided financial support and manpower for the Robinson Community Garden and Rural Food Support Program and some members also helped collect maple sap.
Together with Club Service, re-started a monthly collection from members at Club meetings for the Partners in Mission Food Food Bank.
In collaboration with other local Rotary Clubs and Kids Against Hunger Canada, packed more than 14,350 lunches for local families in need.
Donated dessert, stuffing, cheese and other food items to Martha's Table for their Christmas dinner to feed 450 people in need.
Adjudicated at Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Science Fair and awarded 3 prizes for outstanding projects in the area of Environment & Sustainability.
Co-sponsored with the other Rotary Clubs in Kingston & Gananoque the Sustainable Kingston symposium.
Sponsored an Easter Seals child to attend Camp Merrywood in summer 2025.
Funded the printing and distribution of the Council on Aging's new resource directory.
Sponsoring Hazel, a service-dog-in-training for Kingston4Paws.
Enabled Queen's Education student teachers to attend a "Climate Justice Field Camp".
Coordinated the annual Spring Cleanup in Rotary Park.
Encouraged donors affiliated with the Kingston-area Rotary Clubs to roll up a sleeve and donate blood on a quarterly basis.
We will be sponsoring the Inclusive Play Project and volunteering at the fundraising Fun Fair in June. This will be a collaborative effort with the other Rotary clubs in Kingston!
In the future, I hope that our club will collaborate with the other local clubs regularly, in order to maximize the impact Rotary can have on our community!
Respectfully submitted by,
Jennifer Patelli
Chair,
Community Services Committee
2025DISTRICTCONVENTION
On the weekend of April 25-26, 2025, five K-F members as well as Fernanda, our international exchange student, hitched their wagons and headed to Ottawa for the annual D7040 Convention. In addition to a bit of Rotary business, the weekend featured an outstanding venue (the Infinity Centre), an international parade of students and great food, music and fellowship.
Fernanda led the Parade of Nations
Jennifer Patelli & her security detail
Once the dance moves were mastered, a party broke out and a good time was had by all.
Rotary Director Chris Etienne & spouse surround Elsabe
Next year, Kingston will host DisCon 2026 and the Organizing Committee Chair, Elsabe Falkson, invited everyone to register early to get in on the best deal!
Click on the link below to register if you haven't already. If plans change between now and then, your fee is refundable until early 2026.
Kingston-Area Rotary Clubs
23 /99
2025 Team Progress
Thanks!
to all who've rolled up a sleeve to
Give Blood!
For those who noticed how many medals Jennifer’s Mountie was sporting, send an e-mail before the next Club meeting to polkdj@hotmail.com with the correct answer and be entered in a draw for a Tim’s gift card!
BINGO! FUNDRAISING
In the 2024-25 Bingo Year
(for hours volunteered from
Apr 2024-Mar 2025),
Kingston-Frontenac Club members raised:
$36,084.64
($322.18/ hour volunteered)
to benefit our local community.
Volunteers needed starting July 2025.
Please check the Bingo Schedule
Thanks to the K-F members who have volunteered for this valuable service.
.... don't forget these upcoming dates:
May 22, 2025 (5-8pm)
May 22, 2025 (5:30-8pm)
Gananoque Rotary Club
International Night Fundraiser
Lou Jeffries, Gananoque, T.L.T.I.
Recreation Centre
600 King St., E.
Gananoque, ON K7G 2T6
May 24, 2025 (8-11am)
May 25, 2025 (11am-2pm)
The Hope Air fundraiser will be at the airport, Sunday, May 25th, from 11 AM until 2 PM. BBQ, drinks etc. available. The QR codes and links are live and working.
The raffle is for 2 WestJet tickets anywhere they fly ($25 a ticket):
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