Community Programs Supported

Julie Powell is Director of Development with Norfolk General Hospital Foundation, and spoke about how our hospital budgets to raise $1 million annually, primarily for technology and equipment upgrades.  Our club provided funding to purchase nine new wheelchairs this year.

Julie Pragnell is a Grade 3/4 teacher at Waterford Public School where she coordinates the swimming program.  Our club provided funds to assist with student transportation to attend the 8-week Red Cross swimming program at the Annaleise Carr Aquatic Centre.

Darlene Edmonds represented the Child Nutrition Network, operated by Haldimand-Norfolk REACH, whereby all five Rotary Clubs in Haldimand and Norfolk Counties provide funds to purchase locally grown apples for school lunch programs throughout our region. Approximately 7,000 students are fed healthy snacks each day through this program.

Derek Ritschel is Artistic Director at the Lighthouse Festival Theatre. Our club provided funds for bus transportation for Norfolk Association for Community Living participants and staff to accompany Derek to visit a theatre production by the Orangeville Community Living to get ideas about how to deliver a similar program in Norfolk.  Watch now for a theatre production near you!

Diane Elliott coordinates a Christmas Relief Program through the Mennonite Help Centre. With support from her family, friends, church and the Rotary Club of Norfolk Sunrise, Diane provided food, clothing, toys and activity boxes to 79 people in ten Mennonite families in Norfolk. Our club donated funds again this year to purchase the food.

Leanne Bond is Marketing and Sponsorship Coordinator for the Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show. Our club provided funds for transportation of local Grade 4 students to attend the Agricultural Awareness Program at The Fair, where a series of agricultural specialists taught the students facts about where their food comes from.

Susan Mayo represented the Norfolk County Public Library. Our club donated prize money to support the success of the Teens Write for Fun program. This program is for local students aged 13-18 years. Approximately 100 short story or poetry entries were received again this year. The winning entries are published in a booklet by the NCPL. Carly Duesling, a prize winning author in 2012, moved our members with a reading of her poem titled “Cyan.”