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A total of 10 teams raised a whopping $5200 which will be directed to local youth initiatives, including Camp Trillium. We were excited to welcome back Charlie Benson from the camp, who stopped by to accept a cheque for $10,000 - the amount our club raised during the recent Operation Red Nose season. In return, President Brigitte was honoured to receive a plaque from Charlie, thanking our club for all of our help over the years.

In addition to the Quinte Curling Club, QSR would like to thank the PR students from Loyalist College for their hard work leading up to - and during - our event. In addition, we’d like to thank our sponsors Maple Dale Cheese Inc and Sprague Foods for their generous (and absolutely delicious) donations to help feed our curlers.

Finally, a big shout-out to our team of QSR volunteers (and family) who helped ensure our event was a success.

To see photos from the morning, click here.

To see action shots and team photos, click here.

Until next year...hurry hard!

It was a clean sweep at QSR's annual Curl for Kids!

On Saturday, Feb 2, QSR once again hosted our annual ‘Curl for Kids’ bonspeil at the Quinte Curling Club.

Finally, a big shout-out to our team of QSR volunteers (and family) who helped ensure our event was a success.

To see photos from the morning, click here.

To see action shots and team photos, click here.

Until next year...hurry hard!

QSR's Hygiene Bags are a Hit!

Back in December, QSR used donated items to create several hygiene bags for use in our local communities.

Within 20 minutes, 24 bags containing various toiletries for both girls and boys were donated to the The Hastings and Prince Edward Learning Foundation, and within only a couple of days, several of the bags were given to Trenton High School for emergency student needs.

QSR received the following (very touching) note from a teacher at Trenton High shortly after the bags were distributed:

Good Morning Brigitte,

As you are aware, many of the families in Trenton are in need of assistance in some form or another. Families too often go without and are having to make the decisions between food or clothes or hygiene items or so many other needs.

On behalf of Trenton High School and our students, I would like to thank you and your fellow members for your time and generosity. I have had the pleasure of handing out some of the bags you so carefully created. It truly is touching.

I wish you could see the students’ faces. Many of them have so little. One of the students was so excited because there were mouth care items. She didn’t have toothpaste at home. Some have never had some of the more luxurious items, like body wash. Others are so touched that someone they don’t even know cares about them. They can’t understand why someone that they haven’t met would want to help them. Already more than half of the bags have been distributed and I am so looking forward to giving the rest.

Thank you. My thank you is echoed by so many little voices here at Trenton High School who otherwise would have gone without. I wish you could hear them.

Your example of holiday spirit and community involvement is touching and so very generous. Not to mention a lesson to us all.

Kind regards,
Trenton High School

QSR is thrilled to be able to quickly assist those who need it the most, yet saddened that the need exists in the first place.

If you have any questions about our hygiene bag initiative, or about our club in general, please send us a note at quintesunriserotary@gmail.com.

Hurry Hard! Curl for Kids is here!

It's that time of year again! QSR is hosting (for the 14th year!) our annual curling bonspiel with funds going to Camp Trillium, Field of Ability, Quinte SailAbility and our Bayside Secondary Scholarship.

Curl For Kids will be held at the Quinte Curling Club on February 2, 2019. Three draw times are available: 9:15 am, 11:15 am and 1:30 pm, and we can only accommodate 24 teams.

Four-member teams are asked to raise a minimum of $200 in pledges. This is a non-competitive event, but a (highly-coveted) trophy is awarded to the team that raises the most money. No experience is necessary, and experienced curlers will be on-hand to provide pointers.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available for corporate teams. For registration and sponsorship information, please contact us at quintesunriserotary@gmail.com, and for more information about the Rotary Club of Quinte Sunrise, who we are and what we do, please check us out at www.quintesunriserotary.ca.

Annual Curling Bonspiel Sweeps to Success

On February 3, QSR hosted our annual bonspiel fundraiser, with a new twist for 2018: Curl for Kids.

With nine teams, we spent the morning out on the ice, learning about hog lines, hacks, and how to 'hurry hard'. In total, over $4400 was raised, all of which will be re-invested into programs and organizations dedicated to helping children and youth in our local area. After a morning on the ice and a tasty lunch, we welcomed Charlie Benson from Camp Trillium; his visit was two-fold:

President Alison presented him with a cheque for over $7300, representing funds our club raised during Operation Red Nose in 2017, and in turn,
Charlie presented a plaque signifying $100,000 raised and donated by Quinte Sunrise to Camp Trillium. As a small club, this is a huge achievement and we are extremely proud

We are only able to do what we do with the generous support of our club members and community supporters, including those who participated in our bonspiel:

Quinte Curling Club
Quinte Health Care, Children's Treatment Centre
Quinte First Credit Union
C&C Delivery
Klemencic Homes
Belleville Dragon Boat Club
Team Terpstra
Team Mathany

To see pictures of our event, check out our album on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2nOag19.

Thank you everyone - see you on the ice in 2019!

Dec 21: Performances, Presentations, Presents, and Shoes

Dec 21: a packed program to end the year included performances by Stewart and Toni, presentations, and our annual gift exchange (with shoes included).

First we heard from our scholarship recipient Meghan who told us about her first semester at Queens studying Engineering. Next up, our RI Foundation Director Geoff updated the club bout Rotary's continuing efforts to End Polio Now...with only 10 cases in two countries this year so far this year, we really are <this close>)!

Finally, we had our annual Better Yours than Mine'gift exchange, where it was determined PP Stewart had the best gift, and more shoe ornaments were presented to President Alison for her Shoe Tree of Christmas.

We wish you all a warm and wonderful holiday season...see you in 2018!

Stewart gets us all in the holiday mood

Geoff with our scholarship recipient Meghan

Geoff gives us an update on Rotary's Polio eradication efforts

Time for some gifts!

Finally, Alison was lamenting last week about not having enough ornaments for her Shoe Tree of Christmas; club members stepped up to the plate and were only too happy to oblige!

QSR + Christmas Sharing

On December 17 & 18, several members of our club helped with the annual Christmas Sharing program in Belleville. Members helped pack and distribute hampers all over the region.

This year, there were a total of 1356 families and singles in Belleville who qualified for a Christmas hamper, of which 395 received assistance from this specific program. Christmas Sharing receives no government funding and is powered entirely through donations of food and time.

Each family receives two boxes of food, plus cereal and a gift card to help make their holiday season a little bit brighter. Of these 395, 233 hampers were delivered by volunteers like our club members and their families.

Christmas Sharing is - sadly - a much-needed program in our area and Quinte Sunrise is proud to be associated with this wonderful organization.

Merry Christmas!

QSR Marianne is rarin' to go!

Maribeth and Rotaract member Vicky

Toni gets into the holiday spirit!

Rod is packing up!

Marg and Stewart getting ready

We couldn't do this without Nancy

Geoff and Katie load up!

December 14: Grants Presentation

One of the highlights of our Rotary year is to award grants to incredibly worthy organizations.

After receiving several applications earlier this fall, our Grants Committee, led by director Catherine, selected three incredible organizations. Two were on hand to receive their grants on December 14, while the third will join us in May.

The first was the Salvation Army, who will use our funds to build more community gardens and the second was to Bridge St United Church, to help families from Syria feel more at home, in their new home communities.

To say we're proud is an understatement and we're excited to follow the progression of these two very worthwhile projects over the coming weeks and months.

Congratulations!

Catherine with Wil-Brown Ratcliffe from the Salvation Army

Yaser Al Mansour and his daughter Bayan with Ian Sutherland from the Bridge Street United Church

It's Curling Season Again!

For the past 13 years, the Rotary Club of Quinte Sunrise has organized our annual curling bonspiel with funds going to both the Canadian Cancer Society and Camp Trillium. This year, we are expanding our reach and hosting our Curl For Kids bonspiel, benefiting several organizations dedicated to children and youth in our communities, including Camp Trillium.

Curl For Kids will be held at the Quinte Curling Club on February 3rd, 2018. Three draw times are available: 9:45am, 12:00pm, and 2:15pm, and we can accommodate up to 24 teams. A light (and delicious) lunch with refreshments will be provided.

Four member teams are asked to raise a minimum of $200 in pledges. This is a non-competitive event, but a highly-coveted trophy is awarded to the team that raises the most money. No experience is necessary, and experienced curlers will be on-hand to provide pointers.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available for corporate teams. For registration and sponsorship information, please contact us at quintesunriserotary@gmail.com, and for more information about the Rotary Club of Quinte Sunrise, who we are and what we do, please check us out at www.quintesunriserotary.ca.

What is Rotary and what do we do?

Rotary Club of Quinte Sunrise

2017 Foundation Walk

It was a bit of an early rise for us, but a few QSR's made the trek into Whitby on September 11 to participate in the annual District Foundation Walk.

This fun fundraiser is for the Rotary Foundation, which then helps fund Rotary projects both locally and internationally. Club members around the world are asked to donate $100 to the foundation annually, and QSR is proud to announce that we had 100% participation this year, raising over $4300 (#smallbutmighty).

With sunny skies and a beautiful setting, it was a wonderful opportunity for fellowship with Rotarians from all over the district.

Big thanks to Rotarians Sharon and Geoff for your work with the Foundation, to our members who and for our members who were able to participate (Alison, Antonina, Brigitte, Gord, Sharon, and de faco members Kate & Dawson).

For more photos from our day, please check out our Facebook page: facebook.com/quintesunriserotary/

July 6: Happy New Year, and welcome President Alison!

Alison Ebbs takes over the helm of Quinte Sunrise!

A Rotarian for over 10 years, Alison has worked and/or been involved with Rotary for close to 20. She was a member of the GSE team to Brazil in 2003 (D5050 - D4600) and helped charter Regina's Rotary Club of Regina Oskaya in 2009. After moving back to BC that fall, she joined the Rotary Club of Abbotsford-Sumas and was a member there until 2013, when she and her husband relocated to the Quinte area. Recognizing the power of Rotary, both locally and around the world (and especially when starting fresh in a new city) Alison quickly joined Quinte Sunrise and the rest is history.

Having lived in various locations, Rotary has been a steady force and the best way to get involved in a new community. She is extremely proud, and very humbled, to be leading our great little club.

We don't look a day over 29!

On May 11, Quinte Sunrise celebrated our 30^th anniversary with help from several guests and fellow Rotarians from all over the district.

Using the theme ‘Diamonds & Pearls’, Past President Nancy organized a walk down memory lane, asking all current Past Presidents (we currently have 10 in our club) to take a couple of minutes and tell us about their Presidential experience and what makes Rotary special to them.

Our group heard from:

An incredible PolioPlus fundraiser (Mike Anderson),
A district leader whose Presidential year was his Rotary highlight (Gord Leverton),
Our first female President (Maribeth deSnoo),
One of only three female Past Presidents who regularly brought together local clubs in fellowship (Janet Mathany),
Two charter members (Bob Lafrance and Robert Amesse), and
Three Presidents who loved it so much they took on the role twice (Nancy Lewis, Geoff Cudmore, and Stewart Hood)

Missing from our festivities was Past President Marc Ray.

Our morning presentation was rounded out with President-Elect Alison and District Governor Jim.

Thanks to everyone who sported their diamonds (in tiara form or otherwise) and pearls, and took the time to come out and help us celebrate a wonderful milestone in our history.

Join us on June 10 at the Bay of Quinte Art & Wine Festival!

The Rotary Club of Quinte Sunrise, in collaboration with many community partners, is proud to present our first annual Bay of Quinte Art & Wine Festival to be held on June 10, from 10am - 8pm in Historic Downtown Belleville. A fundraiser for our club, the festival aims to highlight our thriving arts and culture community while growing our charitable investments in the Bay of Quinte region.

The Art & Wine Festival will showcase artists and fine artisans from the region, and showcase Prince Edward County wineries, local food, and craft beer. This premiere event will attract art enthusiasts from central and eastern Ontario, and beyond.

Our event is a true community effort - we have received outstanding support from the City of Belleville, its staff, as well as the Downtown Business Improvement Association and its membership. Community and festival partners joining the celebration this year include:

Belleville on Bikes, who will be on-site encouraging festival goers to get out and get active with the addition of a cycling valet;
Enjoy the sounds of one of our region's greatest asset, with members of the Quinte Symphony performing throughout the day;
You will have the opportunity to learn from one of our local masters as Jesus Esteves offers a still life demo in the Festival square; and
Festival goers will be encouraged join in the juried art selection for the people's choice award and explore Belleville’s Downtown Cultural Community with the addition of our cultural map. With well over 20 points of interest, it is sure to create a lasting and memorable experience!

For more information visit www.boqartandwine.ca or contact us at boq.art.wine@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Tanya Baldwin, Festival Chair - 613-243-4444

Kevin Bazkur, Vendor Registration - 613-393-2111

Well done team!

Hurry hard! And WOW did they ever!

Past Presidents Nancy, Bob, and Rob recently participated in the annual Can Am Rotary Bonspiel held in Cambridge, ON last week. Exhibiting incredible curling prowess, they secured a spot a the Rotary World Curling Championships in Hamilton, Scotland in 2018.

Skipped by Belleville Rotary Bill, we are extremely proud and very excited for them all...congratulations team!

(L-R Nancy, Bill, Bob, and Rod)

(photo courtesy of Carole Binch, Facebook)

Jan 19: Geoff Cudmore + Rotary Foundation

Jan 19: QSR had the opportunity to learn more about Rotary and its' Foundation from Past President - and current Foundation Director - Geoff Cudmore. Geoff has worked with the Rotary Foundation for several years, and it's this piece of the Rotary puzzle that allows Rotarians to do what we do on an international scale.

2017 marks the centennial of the Foundation, started by then-President Arch Klump and a donation of $26.50 (serious money in 1917) by the Rotary Club of Kansas City. Arch wanted Rotary to build a reserve fund to 'do good in the world'. It worked: today, the Rotary Foundation has over $1B in assets and has saved millions of lives over the past 100 years. From installing public toilets in downtown Chicago, to building wells to clean water, to eradicating polio, the Rotary Foundation has literally changed the world.

It's not just projects: the Foundation offers Peace and Ambassadorial Scholarships, Youth and Vocational Exchanges, hosts Peace Centres around the world, and grants to help Rotary clubs tear down walls and build relationships. As a non-political, non-religious organization, Rotary and its' Foundation has access to people and places that others simply don't.

The Foundations' largest initiative has been the eradication of polio with the PolioPlus campaign. Launched in 1985, Rotary has worked tirelessly local governments to earn trust and establish mass immunizations on the ground. With the help of Rotarians around the world and local staff, 2.5 billion children have been immunized; this lofty goal is well within reach.

Donations to the Foundation are tax-deductible and an easy way to transform lives around the globe.

The achievements of the Rotary Foundation are simply too numerous to mention here, so we encourage you to visit https://www.rotary.org/en/about-rotary/rotary-foundation for more information.

Thanks Geoff!

Kiva Update + Highlights

As you know, QSR has been proud to partner with Kiva and provide micro-finance loans to many people around the world. In 2016, our club lent a total of $650 to 20 borrowers in nine countries. Our club has directly impacted the lives of 20 borrowers, their families, and their communities.

This is no small feat.

While it appears the world is in absolute turmoil, our #smallbutmighty club does what we can to help make things a little bit better and brighter for people around the globe. It's one of the greatest aspects of Rotary - our ability to help others even when we feel helpless.

Questions about Kiva or Rotary? Contact quintesunriserotary@gmail.com.

Jan 12: A Business Meeting +

A business meeting can sometimes be a bit dry, but every once in a while, we have reason to celebrate. Membership Director Gord Leverton was pleased to award several members with perfect attendance pins.

One of Rotary's greatest attributes is its' flexibility - members can easily achieve perfect attendance several ways. Members can attend our weekly meetings, a meeting of another Rotary club, through courses, or by joining an e-meeting anywhere in the world. The best part? Our entire membership is richer for it.

Congratulations to:

Sharon (one year),
Alison (four years),
Gord (15 years),
Rod (20 years), and
Robert (21 years)

Well done everyone!

01/05: Kevin Bazkur, Vocational Talk

2017 started off on the right foot for QSR with a Vocational Talk by one of our newest members, Kevin Bazkur.

Born and raised in Toronto, Kevin and his sister was raised by a single mum who always ensured they had access to books, music, movies, and concerts. He learned how to be charitable at a young age and his mother's motto was 'we have a duty to help others'; this theme continues to guide Kevin to this day.

While still in high school, he volunteered with several charities - one in particular was to raise funds to support Vietnamese refugees who had recently arrived in Canada.

Kevin opened his first business soon after university but shut it down as he enjoyed listening to his stock instead of selling it. He moved to Picton in 1990, and while that was a bit of a culture shock for him, he quickly connected with several community groups. Qualified as a Financial Planner, he operated Chatsworth Antiques and a Bed & Breakfast for several years before selling up and moving to Belleville. Now running an Event Planning company, he has recently purchased a century home and can now add 'home renovations' to his list of skills.

Kevin continues to be involved with several groups in the area and we are thrilled that he has joined our club.

Welcome Kevin!

Meet our newest microfinance borrowers!

Posted by Alison Ebbs

As 2016 comes to a close, QSR is thrilled to help budding entrepreneurs fulfill their financial dreams through Kiva. Meet our three newest borrowers:

Jairo, Ecuador (http://ow.ly/saX0307unfF). His loan helps him purchase more calves, vitamins, and carrots for his farm;
Miriam, Kenya (http://ow.ly/SD4n307unh8). Her loan is for farm inputs and hired labour; and
Hamidah, Indonesia (http://ow.ly/R7Ck307unk7). Her loan will help build a bathroom in her home, so she and her family no longer have to use the nearby river for their needs.

Kiva is so easy and it's a wonderful feeling knowing we're helping others around the world. Happy New Year!

Dec 15: Christine Durant, Poverty Roundtable

Posted by Alison Ebbs

This morning, Christine Durant visited QSR to tell us a little bit more about the Poverty Roundtable.

Created through an Ontario Trillium grant, the Roundtable is dedicated to the eradication of poverty in the Quinte area through presentations, engaging those living in (or on the fringes of) poverty, and working with other organizations to examine various aspects of the issue. It has also expanded the conversation to include individuals from the business community and local government. Working groups have been initiated to study such issues as housing, income security, and food insecurity. The Poverty Roundtable hopes to change the way people respond to poverty and improve the lives of the 33% of people deemed poor in the Quinte area.

For more information about the Poverty Roundtable and how it affects our local area, please visit www.povertyroundtablehpe.ca. Many thanks to Christine for your enlightening presentation.

Dec 1: Andy Lacroix, Shorelines Casino Belleville

Posted by Alison Ebbs

This morning, QSR heard from Andy Lacroix, Executive Director of Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, the parent company of the Shorelines Casino, which is currently being built in Belleville (shorelinescasinos.com/belleville)

A veteran of the Canadian gambling industry, Mr. Lacroix explained how the province of Ontario has selected private companies to operate well-regulated casinos in Ontario. In this case, Shorelines will be operating closely with the City of Belleville, employing 182 full-time and 120 part-time employees. Belleville Shorelines will have 18 gaming tables, 450 slots, a buffet, a private lounge, and special room made available to local charities. It is predicted that the casino will have a $41 million impact upon the local economy.

To help those with gambling issues, the casino will have Smart Centre to detect and assist those who need help.

We are looking forward to the positive impacts this newest addition will have on the area.

Nov 24: Annual Grant Presentations

Posted by Alison Ebbs

This week, QSR was thrilled to meet representatives from the three successful grant applications submitted to our club this past year. While 10 requests for funding were received, it was felt by our Grants committee that these three best reflected our club's objectives.

Opportunity International was represented by its director of marketing, Andrew MacDonald, who briefly outlined the organization's goal to provide low cost loans to (mostly women) of Honduras. This grant will be tripled by the Rotary Foundation and the Canadian government.

Will Manos represented PACT, an organization which provides life-altering programs for at-risk youth in the Quinte area.

The third recipient was the Amarok Society, represented by Angela Macri. This grant assists the efforts of the Munro family as it has spent years teaching the mothers in the slums of Dacca, Bangladesh, to become teachers. In turn, these new teachers teach other mothers to become teachers themselves

QSR opens our annual grants process each summer, for selection in the fall. All information is posted on our website and any questions can be sent to quintesunriserotary@gmail.com.

Great thanks is extended to the Club's Grants Committee (Catherine, Janet, Maribeth, Geoff, and Alison) as it evaluated the 10 original requests.

(l - r) AGD Ken, Will Manos (PACT), President Stewart, Angela (Amarok Society), Andrew (Opportunity International) and Grants Committee Chair Catherine

Nov 17: Rotary Grants at Work!

Posted by Alison Ebbs

QSR was thrilled to welcome back long-time friend 'Fletch' Fletcher from Quinte SailAbility to talk about their newest purchase.

The Rotary Clubs of Quinte Sunrise, Trenton, Picton, Wellington, and Belleville, partnered on a Rotary grant through District 7070 and purchased a Coach Safety boat, which is for those with physical or developmental disabilities. The boat will be used by local students who want to get on the water.

Quinte SailAbility works to improve self esteem, confidence, and accessibility to the water for local youngsters. The clubs held a naming contest for the new boat, which was won by QSR Membership Director Gord Leverton with his submission of 'Rotary Compass'.

A big thank you to QSR Past President Janet Mathany for spearheading this project and working with both the district and surrounding clubs.

November 10: Mike Kelly, Kids Cancer Ride

Last week, Mike Kelly came to speak about the Kids Cancer Ride, a national programme which ties bicycling enthusiasts to major fundraising for the eradication of childhood cancer.

When not working for a local car dealership, Mike has, since 2009, spent much of his time training for long distance treks across parts of Canada. Every participating rider pays $3,000 to enter and is committed to raising $25,000 to help eradicate the disease. The Kids Cancer Ride Foundation passes everything it raises to research and other costs. Last year, the ride raised just under $5 million. Cancer is the second leading cause after accidents of death among children. Great efforts have now resulted in a 83% survival rate, but still, much needs to be done.

Go to their website and find a rider to support knowing you are investing in a better future for these young fighters. Mike ended his talk by thanking Sears Canada for its major sponsorship and support http://ow.ly/9KhD306epc2.

Oct 6: Col. Colin Kiever, 8Wing Trenton

This week, QSR was pleased to hear from Col. Colin Kiever, Base Commander at 8Wing Trenton, who talked to us about the economic benefits of the recent Quinte International Air Show.

Held this past June, the airshow was dedicated to the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, the allied plan to train thousands of Commonwealth airmen for operations in the Second World War. He was proud to host the 400 Club, where veterans were able to reconnect with each other and current members. While it makes a major impact upon base operations, the decision was made to plan a large scale show, and they ended up welcoming ~80,000 visitors during the two days. Run as a business, admission was charged to ensure financial success; these funds were immediately re-directed into programs for soldiers, veterans, and their families. 75% of visitors stayed overnight, using local hotels and eating at local restaurants. It is estimated that the airshow brought in approximately $6.6M to the Quinte region, with an additional $300K in contracts made with local companies for various provisions, such as buses and port-a-potties.

Col. Kiever ended his talk by promising future airshows, the next in 2018. Thank you, Col. Keiver for this informative update.