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Sunrisers Support to the Pikangikum Music Program

When Jim and Marjorie Dawson decided to drive to Red Lake for their periodic visit to Pikangikum First Nation, that meant that they had extra cargo space. Enter Norfolk Sunrise Rotarian Paul Macko who wanted to find a good home for his beloved Alto Saxophone. It just happened that not only did the music teacher want the Sax, he had invited a graduate from the Uivesity of Toronto School of Music who specialized in Saxaphones to come and teach and perform at the end of year concert! (see photo at the ‘Read more …’ tab).

More great work by Jim and Marjorie Dawson and kudos to Paul for his generous musical donation.

Sunrisers Support Local Soccer Fun Match

On July 6, at 660 West Street, Simcoe, the local chapter of the police and a group of international farm employees came together and faced off for an exciting first-time ever soccer match. Catholic Community Services of York Region (CCSYR) and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) joined forces to organize a first of it's kind community day in an effort to break down barriers and build strong community relationships with international agricultural employees who live and work in Norfolk County for most of the year. This exciting afternoon brought together the OPP and staff from more than 8 local farms who competed for a trophy and prizes.

Enter the Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise (RCNS), who agreed to support this great initiative. Not only was this support appreciated by the communities involved, it proved to be a wonderful Public Image opportunity for us. Well done to the RCNS Community Service Committee as well as organizer Paul Macko, seen here with the event coordinator Leanne Arnal Bennett of the Norfolk Community in Action, a group partnered with the CCSYR to open a centre in Simcoe to offer a wide variety of supports to temporary foreign workers and their employers alike.

Additional photos are at the ‘Read more …’ tab or by clicking to get to our related Photo Album.

Changeover 2025

Following the 2024-2025 activity year, it was was time for the Sunrisers to enjoy ourselves at the Waterford Legion and to conclude some essential Club business before our summer break. It was planned as a social moment to have some social time, to reflect on that which we have accomplished, to induct our new Board Directors for 2024-2025, to offer our appreciation to the Co-Presidents team of Ross Gowan & Mary Mercato, both of whom, switched roles at the meeting.

Go to the 'Read more ...' tab to read more and/or to see selected photos from each of these aims. Click on this link to see a compilation of all of the photos of this event as kept on Club Runner data site. We thank Keith Jones who provided emcee guidance through all of this and Gail Bouw and her Club Services team for organizing such a great evening of Rotary fellowship.

Now, for a short summer break - we look forward to our first ever venture into the RibFest business in July as well as several social get-togethers to keep us going until a very challenging fall schedule of business & fun begins in August!

Again in 2025; The Dragons Invaded and We Slayed Them

Evidently, the 'Dragons' like it hot ... not even the most serious heat-wave in recent memory could dampen the energy for 24 DragonBoat teams (over 500 paddlers) brought to the Dragon Boat Festival in Waterford, Sunday 22 June 2025.

Sponsored once again by the Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise (RCNS) and the Cancer Resource Support Program (CSRP), this annual, community event is a major fundraiser for both organizations. Well-over 30 volunteers were onsite including Rotary Sunrisers, CSRP members, family, friends and students.

On Race Day, the heats started at 9am and finished up around 4pm. In spite of the record temperatures, spirits ran high throughout the park with many moving to the great music provided and the cheering as race times and winners were announced. Everyone was kept nourished with the local food vendors onsite and entertained with music all day long. Again this year, we arranged for formal team pictures to be taken behind the wooden dragon boat and paddles made by Abel Enterprises. Again his year, a highlight of the day was the carnation ceremony to remember all those currently battling breast cancer, those in remission and those who have died.

Go to the 'Read more ...' tab for more on this story, the participating teams, notes of our appreciation, our connection to the CSRP and more.

Until next year - Paddles Up! (or maybe down for a wee rest)

Green 9

On a nearperfect, first-day-of-summer, a very community-minded group of golfers (from near and far) teed off at the Greens of Renton Community Charity Golf Tournament on Friday, 20 June 2024. RCNS provided more than its fair share of golfers as well as hosting the 'Green 9' hole and being one of 27 charities represented at the tournament. Our 'Green 9' hole was designated as a 'anyone who gets on the green on the first shot' draw contest (RCNS $100 prize - draw winner was Kevin Crompton), as well as a 'hole in one' hole opportunity ($10K prize - no takers this year!)

Kudos to the Greens of Renton fore (pun intended) retaining such a great idea. Club gratitude goes to Louise Schebesch for once-again organizing our support as well as to the others who braved the weather (and safety!) by stepping up once again to volunteer their time for such a worthy community support event.

Go to the 'Read more' ... tab to see who volunteered their time at Green 9 as well as a few additional photos.

RI Exchange Students Visit

This Tuesday morning, the RCNS was updated on the rather impressive progress the Youth Services Committee is making with this year's group of RI Exchange Students.

Stella Barker introduced Rachel Nichol and Kyra Csoff as our Jr RYLA and RYLA participants/speakers whilst Santeri Pekkanan presented us with a Rotary pennant from his home Rotary club in Finland.

Go to the 'Read more ...' tab to view some additional photos and get an introduction to the students who participated in the morning information session.

Co-Pres Mary Mercato offered closing remarks to thank the Youth Committee for their work and for the students for their participation as well as their willingness to learn and grow in a Rotary context.

Sunrisers Supporting the Hospital

ecently, Gail Bouw and Gail Catherwood presented a Community Service donation to Emma Rogers with the NGH at the NGH Foundation’s golf tournament.
This contribution is in support of the Norfolk General Hospital Foundation’s annual Heart of Healthcare Gala.

Kudos to Community Service for organizing this support as well as to the Hospital Foundation for the continuing work they do to ensure our health and well-being in the community.

This is Us - June 2025

Well, this is what we look like, and how we feel, every Tuesday morning at our weekly meetings at 7am in the morning!

The group photo was taken at our meeting place at Riversyde 83 in Simcoe in front of the Food Hub's rising sun, rural graphic - very symbolic in itself.

Go to the 'Read more ...' tab for a listing of those who could make it or those who had regrets

RCNS Supports Fire SafetyTraining in Pikangikum

Jim & Marjorie Dawson, on their recent trip to Pikangikum First Nation in NW Ontario were pleased to present a cheque for $3,200 to support fire training at the Eenchokay Birchstick School. The funding was raised through a Go-FundMe campaign following a devastating fire in the community. Funds raised helped to purchase and install smoke detectors and more recently providing fire safety training in the school. Pictured in the photo are Jim & Marjorie with the senior members of the Pikangikum Education Authority.

Sunriser In-Bound Students 2025

Rotary is in the business of leadership development and there are many program opportunities to assist youth which may begin as early as elementary school. Rotary Youth Exchanges have been taking place since 1927 and are geared to students ages 15-17.

The Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise (RCNS) is active in Long Term Exchanges (LTE) and we have one student arriving in August , the Rotary Club of Simcoe (RCS) has one, and our two clubs are sharing a third. Our inbounds will arrive in mid to late August and return home in early July, 2026. We are always seeking host families as this program cannot be sustained without the support of these volunteer families.
Go to the 'Read more ...' tab to get a glimpse into the students that the RCNS are sponsoring this year.

Sunrise Support for a Much-Needed Community Hospice

This past weekend, the Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise continued its encouragement of the local initiative to create a community-based hospice facility.

In support of the recent, Hike for Hospice event, our Club entered a representative team (Mary Mercato, Louise Schebesch (with Lola), Jim & Lynda Simpson (with Blu) and team organizer Cathy Harrop (with Bruiser). It was a great (dog-) day and we were able to contribute over $1K (still growing!) to the Hike’s stated goal of $40K. So far, the event has raised more than $67K (and that value is still growing!) Thanks to everyone in the Club who contributed to this great cause.

This most-recent event participation only adds to our longer-term commitment to the Norfolk-Haldimand hospice initiative. Over the years, the RCNS has worked with other community agencies to increase public awareness, we have made community service cash donations, we have welcomed guest speakers and we’ve participated in related events.

It is wonderful to see this initiative now gaining the traction so-warranted - a solution to this pressing community social imperative would seem to be in sight!

Happy Trails in Norfolk County

"A speaker at a Rotary meeting sparked an initiative that led to a valued legacy project by the Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise (RCNS) and for our community. In 2008 the RCNS hosted a speaker from Norfolk County’s Planning & Economic Development Department to speak about the County’s new Strategic Plan. One of the goals identified in that plan was for the County to develop a walking and cycling trail through Simcoe on the historical Lake Erie and Northern Railway line. Following that meeting, and some discussion by the RCNS Board, we told the County “We can help with that!” And help we did, to the betterment of our community."

See how we went about this at the 'Read more ...' tab.

Watch the video to see how much fun we have with this task!

The Story Behind the Sunrise Trail Redbuds

"Sometimes in life, a small event or item can take on a life of its own. Such is the situation with the humble Redbud and the Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise (RCNS) in this area. In the 1950s, my mother Marjorie Wallace went to Landon’s Nursery on Norfolk Street South Simcoe and purchased a redbud tree (officially known as the Eastern Redbud or Cercis Canadensis). It was planted in our front lawn where its beauty could be enjoyed whenever we came home. It had three enjoyable seasons. In the spring, its hundreds of pink blossoms would turn the sky into an ethereal paradise of colour, the summer gave welcomed but not overpowering shade, and the fall season produced thousands of golden heart shaped leaves to again impress the viewer." Now, the reader is asked to go to the 'Read more ...' tab to find out how this story unfolds!

Sunrise Trail Tree Planting 2025

It was a great day .... until it wasn't!

Celebrating Earth Day 2025, the RCNS undertook to add even more trees to our Sunrise Trail. So it was that ~25 Sunrisers (supported by a few 'toys for the boys'), arrived to plant trees to make our Trail better.

Before the weather turned, the group had managed to plant 120 trees along two rows of the Trail. As a result, our Sunrise Trail was visibly improved and a period of Club fellowship resulted.

A description of the details of the work and a few representative pictures are given at the 'Read more ...' tab whilst all of the available photos taken during the event are given at this link. Check it out - you may be there!

Kudos to Steve Malo and his Environmental Group within the Community Service Ctee for organizing a wonderful day on our Trail.

CTA Licence Progress & Results

Following nine, successfully-concluded licences of our ever-popular Catch the Ace (CTA) fundraiser, the Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise, with the support of the Port Dover Legion Branch 158, will be re-starting the game on Friday 09 May '25. This new start will be our tenth licence and it will conclude once the Ace of Spade is finally drawn later in the year.

Once a licence is concluded, a summary of the results is generated. This summary information is then shared with the local print media and can also be found on this web-site - ie see our FUNdraiser Tab at the top of this website to see the results from our eighth completed licence.

For those who follow the CTA game on a more regular basis, the best way to stay abreast of the current results is to visit our FaceBook site. You may find an image of our FB Page as a panel on this web-page or you may wish to visit our FB Page by clicking on this link. Alternatively, the results are also posted to our weekly RCNS Bulletin (the 'Sunriser'). Normally, it is released to our members and friends on a weekly basis. If you are not a subscriber and you might wish to join the mailing list, please see the 'RCNS Bulletin Subscribe' panel as given at this website.

Norfolk County RibFest
Simcoe Fair Grounds

Jul. 18, 2025 - Jul. 20, 2025
RCNS Catch the Ace (CTA); Licence #10
Royal Canadian legion

Jul. 18, 2025 7:15 p.m.
RCNS Catch the Ace (CTA); Licence #10
Royal Canadian legion

Jul. 25, 2025 7:15 p.m.
RCNS Catch the Ace (CTA); Licence #10
Royal Canadian legion

Aug. 01, 2025 7:15 p.m.
RCNS Catch the Ace (CTA); Licence #10
Royal Canadian legion

Aug. 08, 2025 7:15 p.m.
RCNS Catch the Ace (CTA); Licence #10
Royal Canadian legion

Aug. 15, 2025 7:15 p.m.

New Club Members

Sep. 09, 2025 7:00 a.m.

Introductions

tba

Sep. 23, 2025 7:00 a.m.

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Sep. 30, 2025 7:00 a.m.

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Oct. 07, 2025 7:00 a.m.

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View entire list...

https://www.facebook.com/RotaryNorfolkSunrise

HOW WE GOVERN OURSELVES

Our Constitution

our bylaws

HOW WE GUIDE OURSELVES

HandBook '25

Action Plan '24-'25

Our Leaders

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THANK YOU FROM THE ROTARY FOUNDATION

Rotary Foundation

As we begin year two of our co-presidency, we will stay the course with a few exciting and innovating ideas. This past year we hosted a very successful Invasion of the Dragons Festival, made a generous donation to the Norfolk Haldimand Community Hospice, planted 120 trees and supported many other organizations and projects in our community and abroad. With community projects/service and youth in the forefront for the coming year, we are committed to making a difference locally and globally. We are truly thankful to our fellow Sunrisers for their dedication and support.

If you are interested in Service Above Self, this very dynamic and engaged Club invites you to join us at one of our meetings and get to know us. Be part of the good of our community.

Mary