Welcome to
The Rotary Club of Calgary (Downtown)
 
Welcome to The Rotary Club of Calgary's website. Our club, consisting of over 130 dedicated members, boasts a rich history of local and global impact. Dating back to 1914, we take pride in being the home club of James Wheeler Davidson, who played a pivotal role in chartering 27 Rotary clubs worldwide. We invite you to explore our site to learn more about our mission and activities.
 
At our core, we are PEOPLE OF ACTION who collaborate with communities in Calgary and across the globe to address challenges and foster positive change.
 
Are you someone who aspires to be a catalyst for change? Do you have a passion for making a difference but are unsure where to begin? If so, we invite you to join us at one of our weekly meetings, either in person or via Zoom. We warmly welcome you to become a part of our Rotary family as we work together to create a brighter future.
 
Expectations
At our club, we acknowledge the fast-paced nature of today's business world. In response, we have evolved our expectations over the years to align with the busy lives people lead. We encourage our members to engage in club activities that hold personal significance to them, allowing participation in any of the following areas:
  • Youth Service (link to a page with a description and video)
  • Community Service (link to a page with a description and video)
  • International Service (link to a page with a description and video)
  • Club Service (link to a page with a description and video)
  • Vocational Service (link to a page with a description and video)
While we achieve great things collectively through sharing our talents and our time,  members are also expected make a philanthropic contribution to the Calgary Rotary Clubs Foundation and/or The Rotary Foundation. This provides Rotary with the resources to give support to communities, both locally and abroad.
 
Benefits
Becoming a Rotary member connects you with a diverse group of professionals who share your drive to give back. Through regular meetings and events, you’ll:
  • Catch up with good friends and meet new ones
  • Discuss your community’s needs and develop creative ways to meet them
  • Connect with other citizens who care and are changing the world
  • Expand your leadership and professional skills
Make a difference in the world, in your community and in yourself!
You Ask, We Explain!
About Our Club
 
 
We have answers for your questions
What's Rotary?
 
 
Some Myths about Rotary
 
How do I volunteer in Rotary?
 
 
 
Join Us Online or In Person
Rotarian Dave Leslie (ZOOM)
Mar 19, 2024 12:00 PM
Rotary Youth Update - Rotaract and Interact
Rotary Youth Update - Rotaract and Interact
Mayor Jtoyi Gondek (In-Person)
Mar 26, 2024 12:00 PM
State of the City Address
Candace Wasacase-Lafferty (ZOOM)
Apr 02, 2024 12:00 PM
Indigenous Series
Neil Sweeney (In-Person)
Apr 09, 2024 12:00 PM
De Havilland's Plans for Aircraft Mfg. in the Calgary Region
Lars De Pauw (ZOOM)
Apr 16, 2024 12:00 PM
Orphan Well Association
Celeste Mergens (Zoom)
Apr 30, 2024 12:00 PM
The Power of Days
Online meetings: JUST CLICK HERE (it's always the same link)
 
In person meetings: purchase your tickets by clicking on the speaker title
 
 
 
Our Club's Activities
World Hope International (WHI) and Rotary International (RI) hae enjoyed a long-time partnership for many years. Recently we received a beautiful report about setting up water services in several districts in Sierra Leone. Enjoy the read!
The month of February is very special in the Rotary calendar because it includes the anniversary of the first meeting of Rotary held on February 23, 1905, now designated as the World Understanding and Peace Day.
Playground Images Now Available
Bill Redmond
 
I received a wonderful email from Liz Ballendine from the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation. You may recall that our club recently approved funding to build a playground adjacent to the Rotary Flames House. 
 
In her email Liz states:
"Hot off the press, here are the first concepts/ideas for our Rotary Flames House playground.
As you can see, it will be colorful, functional, safe and more private for the kids and the siblings to enjoy."
 
 
Wraps and Hats for Ukrainian Babies
Doug McMillan
 
Prevention of hypothermia (coldness) saves lives of newborn babies. As part of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) with skin to skin care and exclusive breast or breastmilk feeding KMC also improves nutrition, decreases infection and reduces maternal postpartum depression.
 
Concern that lack of measures to ensure Ukrainian babies stayed warm during conditions of war lead the International Rotary Fellowship of Healthcare Professionals (IRFHP) to act.
 

 
The Dandelion Wager
James Stauch & Cordelia Snowdon-Lawley - Institute for Community Prosperity
Mount Royal University
 
Calgary Reads, a prominent nonprofit dedicated to early childhood literacy for the past two decades, recently concluded its operations and transitioned its programs, knowledge, and legacy components to seven other organizations through the 'Dandelion Strategy.' The organization officially ceased operations in early 2023 and voluntarily revoked its charitable status in the summer of the same year. The Dandelion Strategy aims not only to sustain the impact in the community beyond Calgary Reads' existence but also to amplify that impact, allowing each transferred program to flourish independently. This unconventional approach involves winding down the organization while paradoxically increasing its overall influence.
 
For more about the "Wager", Download the full report here.
Rotary provides 5 different avenues where our members find their passion and make contributions of time, talent and resources. Find your passion under one of these categories:
 
YOUTH SERVICE
Our Youth Service provides Rotarians with opportunities to work directly with kids as mentors (Stay in School Program) or oversees one of two younger Rotary clubs. We sponsor an Interact club at Western Canada High School and a Rotaract Club at the University of Calgary. We are the title sponsor of the Rotary Calgary Concerto Competition, a yearly music competition for young musicians. We sponsor kids of high school age to attend RYPEN (Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment) and RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award). Both these programs are weekend based where youth expand their knowledge of themselves and develop through experiential learning exercises; above all they build community and have fun. 
If working with younger people is your thing contact the following people:
Mentoring: Alana Sergent
Interact/Ryla/Rypen/Rotaract: David Leslie
 

 
The Rotary Employment Partnership
How Rotarians Make it Happen
Rotarians open the doors of business for people with intellectual disabilities. People get jobs as organizations become inclusive employers. Last year our Coordinators were introduced to 75 prospective employers in District 5360. These introductions resulted in 35 new jobs for people with developmental disabilities. Building connections between the Partnership and business is how Rotary does its part. 
 
 
Our Vision
The Rotary Club of Calgary is committed to improving the quality of life in the communities we support, and for our partners and Club members. It is a sustaining community investor, inspiring others towards service and philanthropy, a model for the values of Rotary within the communities we serve locally and internationally.
Our Mission
The Rotary of Calgary provides unique opportunities for community service by allowing like-minded members to use their skills, experience, and resources to make a difference in the lives of others.
Our Values
Service  - we support the less fortunate in our own city and globally through volunteerism and philanthropy
Fellowship - we build mutual trust and friendship among members who share common values
Diversity - we recognize how significantly stronger we are when we celebrate our differences and respect one another.
Integrity - we do what is right, knowing that we can achieve more together by being open and honest.
Leadership - we feel the pulse of our community and listen while engaging with its leaders and change-makers.
 
 
 
 
Proudly Presenting Our Corporate Members