Notes from the Rotary Meeting 12.30pm Thursday, December 4, 2025.
President Olaf chaired the meeting.
He welcomed everyone and then Rotarian Adam introduced his guests Gerald Baker and Valerie Spence.
Club Business
- The Toonie Count West entries for this week were sorted out this morning successfully at Xavier House. The draw took place and there was a winner.
Guest Speaker
The guest speaker Rotarian Major Brian Wheeler of the Salvation Army was introduced. He talked about the role of the Salvation Army in the community and the Christmas Kettle Campaign.
The First Christmas Kettle was in 1891 in San Francisco when Canadian Captain Joseph McFee was trying to fund Christmas dinners for the poor. He used an iron pot for the donations with a sign saying, ‘Keep the Pot Boiling’ and this was the beginning of the Kettle Campaign. This idea caught on and in 1908 there was a kettle Campaign in Toronto, later in St John’s and in 1926 Corner Brook had its first Kettle Campaign.
Kettle Campaigns are held throughout Canada with this year a national goal of 21 million dollars. All donations made across the country remain in the local community in which the donation is made, and this helps to support local needs. Besides accepting cash each kettle has a tap-and-go donation payment option which is easy to use for donations made by card.
Brian noted that since 2020 the growth of community support has been tremendous with last year being $117,692. He stressed again that the money raised in Corner Brook is used locally.
The Corner Brook Community and Family Services provided in 2024 Christmas hampers for 650 families, and 365 children received toys.
The total assistance given this year so far has been for 6300 individuals. He went on to explain the help given which varies greatly whether it is housing for a night, school supplies, help with clothing, help for someone in hospital basically whatever the problem the S.A. will try to give help.
Brian went on to talk about the food bank, summer camp for children and older and more that all come under the Community and Family services arm of the Salvation Army.
He talked about the budget and the expenditures of the local Services and how for any shortfall the national S.A. office gives help. The Salvation Army is the largest non-government provider of social assistance in Canada.
He next looked at the many kettle volunteers and how over the Christmas kettle season 1440 volunteer hours are needed.
Volunteers are also needed for the S.A hot meals program so he thanked the local volunteers who give generously of their time.
He finished his talk by showing the national poster to promote the kettle campaign that showed Newfoundlander Jamie Lockyer.
Brian answered several questions before receiving from President Olaf a collection of gift cards donated from Corner Brook Rotarians for older children and teenagers for Christmas gifts. This has been a tradition of the club for several years that Rotarians give gift cards for older children as Christmas gifts.
Brian was thanked by Gerry before the meeting adjourned.