Home Page | Rotary Club of Corner Brook

We meet In Person

Thursdays at 12:30 p.m.

Glynmill Inn

1B, Cobb Lane
Corner Brook, NL A2H 2V3
Canada

Regular Rotary lunch meetings are held weekly at the Glynmill Inn on Thursdays at 12.30pm - 1.30pm. Rotarians and friends call 709 634 -3789 for more information.

District Site

Bulletins

Venue Map

Rotarian Donna Luther receiving a King Charles III Coronation Medal

Guest Speakers 2025

New Club Paul Harris Fellow – Verbon Hewlin

Rotary Lunch Meeting December 19 2024

October 24th Visit of ADG Geoff Goodyear

Western Regional Hospital Foundation Radiothon October 4 2024

New Corporate member of the Corner Brook Rotary Club

Rotary Lobster Boil 2024

Winter Carnival Local Feud on February 20th at RAC

Guest Speakers 2024

Christmas Rotary Lunch meeting December 21

Jennifer Crane and Patti Ricketts presenting on November 30th

Rotary Tour of the New Hospital on November23

The Spinner March 20 2025

Notes from the Rotary Meeting 12.30pm Thursday, March 20, 2025

President Jackie chaired the meeting.

Reports were given on the health of two Rotarians Gerry and Jim who are both in the hospital. Everyone is thinking of them and wishing them well.

Several music festival volunteers attended this Rotary lunch meeting. At the start of the meeting Rotary President Jackie welcomed these festival volunteers, as well as President of the Corner Brook Music Festival Board Rotarian Paula Butt and Sandy Myles, Secretary of the Board.

Time was given for Rotarians and volunteers to check the volunteer schedule, and to fill in any spots for which a volunteer was still needed.

After lunch Paula gave a presentation about the 61^st Annual Rotary Music Festival 2025 which will be held March 29^th – April 4^th. She reviewed the members of the Board before looking at the venues for the festival classes, the different admission fees, and general information for volunteers.

Paula named the adjudicators who are all from Newfoundland and Labrador. They are: -

Brass, Woodwind, Strings, Percussion, and Bands -Dylan Maddix

Musical Theatre and Choral – Jacinta Mackey Graham

Piano – David Chafe

Voice - David Pomeroy

Paula then went on to discuss the different duties of staffers 1 and 2 and if needed staffers 3 and 4

Paula’s thorough information session for volunteers was gladly received by the listening volunteers and questions and concerns were answered

After the talk, Jackie thanked Paula before the meeting was adjourned

The Spinner March 23 2025

Notes from the Rotary Meeting 12.30pm Thursday, March 13, 2025

President Jackie chaired the meeting.

Rotary Adventures in Citizenship Speak-Off

This is the meeting at which the Rotary Adventures in Citizenship speak-off is held. Rotarian Dianna chaired this event.

The winning high school student from the speak-off will be able to attend the Rotary Adventures in Citizenship 2025 program from May 25 to 28 in Ottawa. There will be around 150 high school students from across Canada attending this program. The students will experience tours, lectures, discussions and social events designed to enhance their understanding and appreciation of Canadian citizenship.

Rotary welcomed teacher sponsors from Corner Brook Regional High School, CBRH, Paula Grudich and from Immaculate Heart of Mary School, IMHS, Elaine King and Stephanie Lewis as well as guests Jeanette Higgins and Darren Brake.

Two students participated in the speak-off this year. They were Savannah Burden from CBRHS and Grace Brake-Higgins from IHMS.

The judges for the speak-off were Rotarians Elaine, Olaf and Kathleen.

Before lunch the judges interviewed each of the students.

After lunch the students spoke about ‘What does it mean to be a Canadian.” Both students gave excellent talks.

The judges then left the room to decide which student had won the speak-off and so be sponsored by Corner Brook Rotary Club to go to Ottawa in May.

The judges decided that the student going to the Rotary Adventures in Citizenship 2025 would be Savannah.

Both students were congratulated on their participation in the speak-off before the meeting was adjourned.

The Spinner March 6 2025

Notes from the Rotary Meeting 12.30pm Thursday, March 6, 2025

President Jackie chaired the meeting.

Toonie Quest West Weekly Draw

This week there was no winner for the Toonie Quest week draw.

King Charles III Medal Coronation Medal

Congratulations were given to Rotarian Donna on being presented a King Charles III Coronation Medal by Gudie Hutchings, MP for Long Range Mountains, on February 21. This medal is awarded to those who have made a significant contribution to their community.

Rotary Music Festival

Paula, chair of the Music Festival Board passed around volunteer sign-up schedule sheets for the Music Festival which runs from March 29 to April 4.

Guest Speaker

Rotarian Kathleen introduced the guest speakers from Grenfell Campus Laura Edwards, Director of Marketing, Communications, and Advancement, and Connolly Aziz, the Development Officer at Grenfell Campus. Laura and Connolly spoke about “Celebrating 50 Years at Grenfell & Looking Ahead”.

Laura began the presentation by giving an overview of the Grenfell 50^th Anniversary events and celebrations that will honour the past and celebrate Grenfell’s future.

Grenfell Campus has planned a series of events to recognize the people, moments and achievements that have shaped its campus, and its impact on the province.

The Fall 2025 – Winter 2026 highlights will include an Alumni Art Exhibition, Dr Jeff Keshen’s book launch in October of his book entitled ‘The History of Grenfell’. There will be a Grenfell archives event, Grenfell authors event celebrating published authors and a Pensioners 50th Anniversary dinner. The annual Christmas reading will take place and include a festive gathering. There will be sports and wellness challenges throughout the year. The key events will be an official launch in September 2025, 50^th Anniversary branded merchandise and a 50^thAnniversary fundraising campaign.

Connolly then took over the presentation. He as the first Development Officer at Grenfell Campus, has the role of securing gifts for Grenfell Campus by building meaningful one-to-one conversations with prospective and current donors.

He spoke about the 50^th Anniversary Scholarship Fundraising initiative. The goal is to establish renewable scholarships with each being valued at $5000. These would support students throughout their studies. The campaign will be launched from summer 2025 to March 2026 and the scholarships will be awarded over 4 years beginning in Fall 2026.

Connolly showed a chart linking contribution levels to the number of donors needed to raise a scholarship of $5000. The goal is to raise at least $25,000 to fund these renewable 50^thAnniversary scholarships

Both Laura and Connolly answered several questions before being thanked by

Olaf.

The meeting was adjourned at 1.30pm

The Spinner February 27 2025

Notes from the Rotary Meeting 12.30pm Thursday, February 27, 2025

President Jackie chaired the meeting. Prospective Rotarian Linda Carroll was welcomed.

Toonie Quest West Weekly Draw

This week there was no winner this week from the Toonie Quest week draw. Remember if you have a number, play your number each week by paying a Toonie as your number is entered in the draw even if you haven’t played.

Guest Speaker

Rotarian Elaine introduced the guest speaker Ian Stone. Ian with his wife are the innkeepers of the Gros Morne Inn, Woody Point. Ian was born and raised in St. John’s, and now is the unofficial ambassador for Bonne Bay in hospitality and tourism, He represents the region on local and provincial tourism boards. He’s an avid volunteer with the Bonne Bay Search and Rescue Team as well as the Trails Tales Tunes Festival and is a supporter of tourism development and marketing projects throughout the region.

He began his presentation by talking about how Sustainability is extremely important to him. He began in 2015 Tour Gros Morne with customized tours of the Bonne Bay area. He wanted to fill a niche that was lacking for people who wanted specialized tours that provided a sustainable tourism experience combining award winning hiking, culture and culinary experiences.

Ian wants the money earned in the area through tourism to stay in the area which he believes can happen if people work together. Tour Gros Morne aims to give tourists as local a sustainable experience as possible and this includes food eaten.

During covid, Ian and his wife bought the Gros Morne Inn and had to totally renovate it. Again Sustainability came into the renovation and so there was no

wastage everything was repurposed or reused. This attitude even changed the minds of contractors working on the renovation. Hot tubs and saunas were built with everything purchased in Canada. Everything was built with sustainability in mind. Both the tour company and the Inn are certified for Sustainable Tourism which means they are audited three times a year and monitored. In 2022 the Inn was included in the list of Top New Hotels in the world.

Ian spoke about the amazing chefs from Ukraine at the inn and the dishes they prepare. He mentioned that the middle eastern dish Shakshuka can be served at breakfast.

Ian is also teaching local people about sustainability for the whole area. He feels by working together the health of coastal communities will be protected and Gros Morne will become a leader in Sustainability.

Ian answered several questions before being thanked by Verbon on behalf of the club. The meeting then adjourned.

The Spinner February 20 2025

Notes from the Rotary Meeting 12.30pm Thursday, February 20, 2025

President Jackie chaired the meeting. Prospective Rotarian Linda Carroll was welcomed as was Rotarian Adam’s guest Robert Hengeveld.

Jackie reported Rotarian Gerry is doing well in the hospital and welcomes Rotarian visitors. She also spoke of the passing on Sunday February 16th of Don Dicesare who was a Rotarian for many years.

Club Business

Toonie Quest West Weekly Draw

This week there was a winner this week from the Toonie Quest week draw. Remember if you have a number, each week play your number by paying a Toonie as your number is entered in the draw even if you haven’t played.

Guest Speaker Roster

Linda who is looking after the schedule when Rotarians are program chairs at the regular lunch meeting. She noted she has the names of several people interested in speaking to Rotary so prospective program chairs can contact her if they are not sure whom to approach to present.

Guest Speaker

Before lunch, the two guest speakers who were introduced by Kathleen after lunch, had been busy. They had arranged a table of children’s books plus a life size cut out of Dolly Parton.

The two guest speakers were Todie Winter and Renee Sherstobetoff who were presenting on the collaboration between Newfoundland and Labrador Laubach Literacy Council and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program that currently is running in Corner Brook.

Todie spoke first about the Newfoundland and Labrador Laubach Literacy Council. This a provincial, non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to enhancing literacy levels across the province. Their trained tutors assist individuals in improving their essential skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and numeracy. Todie is the Laubach Literacy Coordinator based in Corner Brook and is currently focused on pairing trained literacy tutors with adults in the province seeking to enhance their literacy abilities.

She is also working with Laubach's partnership with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to ensure the children of Corner Brook can participate in their monthly book gifting program.

Renee who has been an educator for almost forty years, took over the presentation. She currently works with the Murphy Centre as a literacy instructor and serves as the program manager for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library on the West Coast of Newfoundland as well as Labrador.

Renee explained that the Dolly Parton Foundation is a non-profit organisation started in 1988. Dolly was inspired by her father to start the foundation, and its mission is simply to inspire a love of books and reading.

The Imagination Library started in 1995. This is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income. The program grew quickly and in 2006 the program came to Canada. Since 1995 over 274 million books have been gifted with 60,256 being mailed in Canada. The program covers 10 provinces and 3 territories. The program started in Newfoundland in the Twillingate area and now about 6000 children are enrolled in the program.

This program matters as it helps brain development in young children and helps develop early literacy. An interesting statistic Renee mentioned is that 25% of households in Canada do not have books.

To register a child all a person needs to do is to search for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library on the computer to see if the program is available in a particular area. The sponsors in the Corner Brook area are Newfoundland and Labrador Laubach Literacy Council Inc, email. laubach@nf.aibn.com and telephone: 709 634 5081.

The aim of the program is to have full coverage of the program throughout the whole province.

Renee did a value analysis of the program, and she noted the Newfoundland partners whose donations help to finance the program.

Renee answered several questions before she and Todie were thanked for the interesting talk. Rotarians could then look at the children’s books on display which were samples of books mailed to children and have photos with guest Dolly.

The meeting adjourned at 1.30pm

The Spinner February 13 2025

Notes from the Rotary Meeting 12.30pm Thursday, February 13, 2025

President Jackie chaired the meeting. Prospective Rotarian Linda Carroll was introduced and welcomed. Rotarian Gerry is doing well in the hospital and is making good progress.

Club Business

Toonie Quest West Weekly Draw

This week there was a winner this week from the Toonie Quest week draw. Remember if you have a number, play each week your number by paying a Toonie as your number is entered in the draw even if you haven’t played.

Guest Speaker

Program-chair Rotarian Donna introduced the President of the Corner Brook Winter Carnival Society, Dawn King.

Dawn began her presentation by explaining the make-up of the Board. This is the 52^nd year for the Corner Brook Winter Carnival. Each Rotarian received a Winter Carnival booklet and pen. This year the ten-day festival starts on Friday February 21 and continues until Sunday March2nd.

The Carnival booklet lists all the activities by date. There are activities held before February 21^st. The Youth Chair, Lisa King approaches elementary schools in the fall for classrooms to think up a slogan for the festival. This year the winners were Mr. Hatcher’s Grade 5 class from Ecole CC Loughlin School with the slogan: Get in the spirit, get in the Vibe for Winter Carnival 2025.

The competition for high school students is to be chosen as social media ambassadors for the Carnival. This year 14 students tried out and Deah-Lee Robertson and Amy Dwyer were selected.

To raise funds for the buttons and booklets, Winter Carnival buttons are sold at over 30 locations in the city. The booklet lists over 90 events with many organisations sponsoring meals and different events to raise funds and to add to the spirit of Corner Brook Winter Carnival.

Dawn spoke about the value of sponsorship of events and the different levels of sponsorship whether it be Platinum, Gold Siver or Bronze.

She then reviewed the different events planned from the Opening Ceremonies next Friday to children’s events, adult and teen activities and family events. There are activities for all age groups. This year there will be a Residential Snow Sculpture Contest.

Dawn finished by noting this is a big undertaking but with a wonderful Board of Directors and hard-working committee the Corner Brook Winter Carnival should be very successful and fun for everyone.

Donna thanked Dawn and the meeting was adjourned.

The Spinner February 6 2025

Notes from the Rotary Meeting 12.30pm Thursday, February 6, 2025

Vice-President Olaf chaired the meeting. Prospective Rotarian Linda Carroll was introduced and welcomed

Club Business

Olaf circulated a weekly visiting list for Rotarians who plan to visit Rotarian Gerry in Restorative Care in the hospital.

Toonie Quest West Weekly Draw

This week there was no winner so the prize money will be rolled over again for the next Thursday draw. Remember if you have a number play each week your number by paying a Toonie so that when your number is drawn you will be the person taking home the winnings.

Guest Speaker

Program-chair Rotarian Linda introduced the guest speaker Alaina Squires. Alaina is the Citizen Services Specialist, Citizen Services Branch- Atlantic Region Service Canada/Government of Canada. She covers the west coast of Newfoundland and presented on Service Canada’s programs, benefits, current procedures and directives.

Alaina began by talking about the programs and services provided by Service Canada by giving a brief overview of the programs offered by the agency.

She noted Service Canada provides a single point of access for a wide range of services. Service Canada can be contacted by visiting the local Corner Brook Centre, by phone or using the web address - eservicescanada.ca/en/service

Alaina then went through the different services covered beginning with an overview of Canada Pension Plan, then the Old Age Security, Canada Pension Plan Disability, Social Insurance Number and the Canada Apprentice Loan.

During the presentation Alaina answered questions as different topics were discussed. She continued by discussing the Passport Services available before looking at Employment Insurance Benefits and the new benefits that now can be applied for.

She talked about everyone using a My Service Canada account (MSCA) which is an online way of accessing all the accounts she had mentioned plus a way of estimating monthly benefits.

She finished by talking about the Canada Dental Care Plan. There were several questions asked about this plan and people’s eligibility to join this plan.

Linda thanked Alaina for this instructive and interesting presentation during which many questions were asked and answered.