Home Page | Rotary Club of St. Albert

Thanks to the hard work, support and generosity of our supporters, friends, and members, the Saint City Rotary Club is helping to make a difference in our Community and World Wide. Chartered in November 2000, our Club is a small group of dedicated individuals from the business and volunteer community who believe in “Service Above Self”.

You can make a difference!

Is it time for you to become involved in the world’s premier service club?
Is it time for you to give back to the community and the world?
Would you like to team up with other volunteer and business influential leaders in our Community and worldwide to make a difference?

We meet Tuesdays at 5:45 PM St. Albert Inn. Please email us at saintcityrotary@shaw.ca if you would like more information on membership. You can read more about our club or about Rotary.

We regularly have speakers attend our meetings. Read about some of our past speakers and see what's coming soon on our news page.

Every year, we put on the Saint City Rotary Charity Golf Classic. You can learn how you can participate or read more on our golf page.

Listed below are some of the projects worked on, activities participated in, and speakers appeared at the club throughout the year. We try and ensure that there is a good mix of great speakers, volunteer effort, fellowship and business networking by all members.

We're on Facebook

We also post news to our Facebook group page. You don't need a Facebook account to view the group. If you want to post and participate, but haven't signed up with Facebook, you can follow these instructions to sign up.

Saint City - Proud Supporter of CAMTA

We were visited at our meeting this week by Jackie Wiebe, Program Manager for CAMTA (Canadian Association of Medical Teams Abroad) and Grace Bredlow, a student nurse who took part in this year's mission to Quito, Ecuador. Jackie provided a bit of CAMTA history and Grace shared an impassioned speech about her experience as a team member. CAMTA has been providing free orthopedic surgery in Quito since 2002. You can read more about the organization on their website: https://camta.com/

Saint City Rotary is a proud sponsor of CAMTA.

Shown thanking Jackie (left) and Grace (right) is Saint City's Treasurer and Community Services Director, Ross Algar.

Welcome to our newest member - Nancy Hoffman

Welcome to our newest member - Nancy Hoffman!

At our meeting this week, Saint City Rotary inducted our newest member - Nancy Hoffman. Nancy is no stranger to Rotary, as daughter Hayley was an exchange student to Brazil a few y ears ago, and also since Nancy's parents are PDG Julius and Nonie Buski

Welcome to Rotary, Nancy.!

Shown presenting Nancy with her new member kit and badge is Saint City's Membership Director, Jeff Hodgson.

John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Roights

Renée Vaugeois, Director of the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, joined us this week to outline the great work being done by the Centre and to tell us about the exciting Ignite Chance 2023 Global Convention being co-hosted by the Centre from December 1-10, 2023.

https://www.jhcentre.org/ignitechange

Thanks for all you do, Renée and for sharing the story of this wonderful work with us.

Shown thanking Renée is club member Karen Kiddine.

The Story Behind Métis Scrip

Holly Brandsma, Métis Education Consultant with the Rupertland Institute, shared with us the story of the Métis Nation and Métis Scrip at our meeting this week. An eye-opening presentation for which we thank you sincerely, Holly. Shown thanking Holly is Lydia Hodgson, Saint City Rotary Administration Director.

Come Visit Thailand With Us

Paris and Nice - Nice in the Fall

Art Gallery of St. Albert - A Little Gem

Emily Baker, from the Art Gallery of St. Albert, treated us to a virtual tour of the gallery at this week's meeting. The gallery is certainly worth a visit. Thank you for a most interesting presentation, Emily!

Overcoming Covid Obstacles

At our meeting this week Dr. Sharon Ryan shared with us her passionate story of how she overcame the many obstacles in trying to visit her mother in a nursing home during the Covid pandemic. A truly remarkable story which Sharon has written about in a book to be released shortly. Thank you , Sharon, for sharing this experience with us!

SASHA - St. Albert Sturgeon Hospice Association

Marcie Mazurenko, from the St. Albert Sturgeon Hospice Association, spoke to us last night about he work of the Association. The mission of SASHA is to create a haven in the St. Albert region that honours people in their end of life care, and to support, educate and empower those affected by or caring for a person with a life limiting illness in our community. Thank you Marcie for telling us about this service and thanks as well for the many volunteers involved.

More information is available on the society's website at:

https://sasha-cares.com/

Shown thanking Marcie for her presentation is Nonie Buski left), Saint City's Past President and Director of Youth Services.

UCSS - Assisting Ukrainian Immigrants

John Shalewa, President of Ukrainian Catholic Social Services ( https://ucssedmonton.ca/) spoke to us this week about the work being done by his organization in assisting immigrants fleeing Ukraine due to the Russian invasion. The needs are many and John outlined various methods of assistance. Thank you for the work your organization does, John, and for taking the time to speak to our club.

T8N100Men - Doing Good in the World

At our meeting this week, John Liston, one of the founding members of T8N100Men shared with us the story of what the group is and its projects. Founded in 2016, the group has helped raise over $580,000 in St. Albert and surrounding area to provide financial resources to selected charities. The group selects charitable organizations which they feel will make the greatest impact in the community and provide an average of $10-$12,000 as their contribution. It's an outstanding story of community members coming together to do good in the world, just like Rotary. Shown thanking John for his outstanding presentation is Saint City Rotary's Treasurer and Community Services Director, Ross Algar.

Another Great Program!

Classification talks are some of our most interesting programs. This week our newest member, Karen Kiddine, shared her story with us. Thank you, Karen! Shown thanking Karen is club president Chad Hierlmeier.

Happy Holidays

Bright Lights Christmas tour for Seniors

On Tuesday evening the Rotary Club of St. Albert-Saint City provided St. Albert seniors with its annual Bright Lights tour. Departing the St. Albert Inn on two chartered St Albert Transit buses, 50+ seniors were driven through central Edmonton, the Legislature grounds and Candy Cane Lane in Edmonton and also visited Elaine Crescent in St. Albert. Upon their return to the St. Albert Inn, the seniors enjoyed cookies, provided by the Girl Guides in addition to coffee and Hot Chocolate courtesy of the St. Albert Inn. Another wonderful community event provided Saint City Rotary! Special thanks to the St. Albert Inn and Suites for providing a meeting room and the beverages. Rotary – Doing Good in the World, and the St. Albert Inn – a wonderful corporate citizen!

Our Vietnam Trip Travellers Have Landed

Saint City Rotary - Helping Our Community

Saint City Rotary is a proud supporter of St. Albert Public Schools' Appetite to Achieve Program. This afternoon, Nonie Buski (left), Youth Program Director of the club, presented a cheque for $2500 to Dr. Marianne Barrett (right), Deputy Superintendent, Program and Planning. The funds will assist the school district in providing Christmas hampers to needy families in the district and also nutritious snacks in the schools. Rotary - Doing Good in the World

Karen Kiddine - Our Newest Member

Welcome to our newest member. At this evening's meeting our club welcomed Karen Kiddine to Rotary membership. We're delighted that you've chosen Saint City Rotary to begin your Rotary journey, Karen. Shown presenting Karen with her membership certificate is Jeff Hodgson, Membership Director.

The Rotary Foundation - Our Foundation

We had an excellent informative presentation about our Rotary Foundation at this week's meeting by PDG Ingrid Neitsch. Ingrid provided us with a summary of the various foundation programs, ways of giving, and the wonderful education being provided by Rotary's Peace Centres. Consistently ranked by Charity Navigator as one of the world's top charities, the Rotary Foundation should be the charity of choice for all Rotarians.

Shown thanking Ingrid is Saint City Rotary President Chad Hierlmeier.

Neuro Rehab at University Hospital

Owais Hikmat, from the University of Alberta Hospital Foundation, spoke to our club this week about the work of the hospital and foundation. The foundation is currently conducting a fund drive to raise 2.7 million dollars for a Neuro Rehabilitation Innovation and Research Facility at the hospital. One of the series of fundraising events is the Festival of Trees. More information is available at

https://givetouhf.ca/festival-of-trees/

Thank you for very interesting presentation, Owais.

Reaching Out

John Donner, co-chair of the District's Indigenous Committee, spoke to us this evening about the district's work in this area and provided tips on how our club can reach out to indigenous groups in the area. Thank you for our excellent presentation, John!

St. Albert BMX Association

Our guest speaker this evening was Mike Hook, from the St. Albert BMX Association. Mike provided us with a very interesting presentation on BMX racing and outlined the plans his club has for expanding St. Albert's current track and hopefully attracting a world competition in a few years. Mike was accompanied by his son Jack, who is a BMX racer.

One Rotary Year Ends - Another Begins

Another Rotary year is coming to an end. Our club held its annual Changeover Dinner yesterday evening at the University Club. We were delighted that DG Donna Barrett could join us for the event.

During the evening Linda Perras was presented with her PH+5 pin, husband Leo with his PF+3, daughter Julie with her PH+2 and son-in law Warren with his PH+1. It was also a special evening for Julie as she received our club's Integrity Award for her community service.

Nonie Buski was named Rotarian of the Year, honouring her dedication to working with our Interact Youth as well as many hours applying for and securing funding for our other projects such as the Amarok Society and Project Amigo.

Three of our SACHS Interact members (Evan Jamieson, Mapy Barba and Avalina Zenari) were in attendance and gave an excellent presentation on some of their projects.

Diane Ellis was presented with the Saint of the Month Award and incoming president Chad Hierlmeier received his president's pin. Chad distributed the theme pins for the new Rotary year (Imagine Rotary) to members present.

It was a wonderful evening at which we celebrated our accomplishments this year and looked forward with anticipation and commitment to another great Rotary year coming up, under Chad's leadership.

Our next meeting with be on July 12 at Rotary Park.

BLESS (Big Lake Environment Support Society)

Al Henry (president) and Tony Druett (vice-president) of BLESS (Big Lake Environment Support Society) spoke to our club this evening about the Society's goals, achievements and priorities. The Society is currently focused on

Expanding the BLESS stewardship activities to cover the entire Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park

Working with the Parks Dept. and lobbying for funding for trail improvements and additional signage in LHCPP

Working with the City of St Albert to accomplish the following:

· Raising the Red Willow Trail under the Ray Gibbon Drive bridge

· Preserving the wildlife corridor on the north side of river under the bridge

· Installing replacement trees adjacent to the NE corner of LHCPP

Revising the City’s Municipal Development Plan to delete the Employment Lands designation on two areas of St Albert adjacent to Big Lake

Providing and supporting environmental education programs

A very interesting presentation.

Kathleen Soltys thanked Tony (left) and Al (right) on behalf ot the club.

FOIP Follies

FOIP Follies was the title of an interesting and at times humorous presentation at our club this week by Mary Golab, Director of Information and Privacy at the University of Alberta, and our own club member Dr. Maggie Shane, Privacy Officer for the Alberta Teachers' Association. In their presentation our guests outlined the provisions of the FOIP Act (1995) and the PIPA Act (2004), as well as some prognostications of what may be coming down the pike. A great and educational presentation - thank you Maggie and Mary!

St. Albert Botanic Park - A Local Gem

Lyn Reynolds, president of the St. Albert Botanic Park, spoke to us this week about the many beautiful aspects of the park and its programs. It was interesting to learn that while St. Albert bills itself as the Botanical Arts City, the city does not provide any support or funding for this beautiful gem, which is operated completely by volunteers. Thank you for telling us about he park, Lyn!

You can learn more about the park on their website:

https://www.stalbertbotanicpark.com/about-us/