MaryAnne Marshall is proud to be the president of the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst. The Rotary Club of Gravenhurst has been serving the community since 1937 and currently has about 50 members.
Many club members say that their best service project is the Rotary Wheels for Learning project. This project started over 7 years ago and this January, they will be embarking on their 8th trip to Cambodia. Each year, they assemble and distribute between 800 and 1200 bicycles for children in rural villages so that they can get safely to school. They also give each child a toothbrush and toothpaste. With the 2019 trip, they are expanding the scope of the project and will be completing several other projects while in Cambodia. These include: providing water filtration systems for 2 villages and 8 schools; purchasing one tonne of rice for People’s Improvement Organization; building wells at 3 different schools; building wash areas at 2 schools; and refurbishing a playground in a schoolyard. Last year, 4 of their club members travelled to Cambodia.
Several factors contribute to the great success of this project. These include: assigning dedicated human resources to manage the project; developing partnerships and strong relationships with key NGOs and individuals in Cambodia; having an understanding of the social, political, and economic situation in Cambodia; building strong teams with shared values prior to trips; and maintaining positive relationships with their donors, before, during and after the project. In doing these things, the Rotary Wheels for Learning project has had a 40% yearly return rate for team members, repeat large donations, and allowed for an expansion into a variety of programs.
The Rotary Club of Gravenhurst continues to look to other clubs in the district to support the project in terms of finances and volunteers. If you have any questions about the project or how you can get involved, please contact Mike Cole at rwflteam2018@gmail.com.
This very active club also participates in several other projects. Their endowment fund is another great success story and has grown exponentially since its inception in 2009 through generous donations by Rotarians and other community members. Through this fund, the club is able to provide bursaries to numerous Gravenhurst High School graduates to help them in their post-secondary studies. The Rotary Club of Gravenhurst supports the district international project, R.E.L.A.Y., and continues to be a strong supporter of the Youth Exchange program. This year, they have welcomed Axel Guggino from France into their club and community.
If you are ever in the Gravenhurst area, please consider doing a make-up at the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst. The club meets at the Muskoka Discovery Centre at 275 Steamship Bay Road at 12:00pm every Monday.
Visit our "Spotlight on Service" Page for more messages about other clubs.