As any Toronto Blue Jays fan knows, every new baseball season begins with hope. The goal is clear: a World Series championship. Players train all winter, managers analyze every angle, and fans dare to dream that this could be the year. Yet as every athlete and fan also understands, no amount of hard work can guarantee that ultimate victory. There are too many variables — a bad bounce, a missed call, an untimely injury — that can change the outcome.
But here’s the thing: whether or not the Jays lift the trophy in October, the season still matters. Every inning, every at-bat, every rally contributes to something larger — the building of character, teamwork, and pride.
Rotary works much the same way.
At the start of each Rotary year, we, too, set goals — to raise funds, support local causes, engage new members, and make a difference in our community. We dream of “winning seasons” where projects flourish, partnerships grow, and we feel that collective thrill of success. Yet, like baseball, our true measure isn’t only in the final scoreboard. It’s in how we play the game.
Consider what it takes for a baseball team to succeed:
Commitment: Every player shows up for practice, even on the hard days.
Teamwork: No one wins a game alone. Each position, from pitcher to outfielder, has a role to play.
Adaptability: Teams adjust strategies when the game doesn’t go as planned.
Resilience: Slumps and setbacks are part of the journey — but champions bounce back.
Those same qualities define a strong Rotary club. When we volunteer our time, collaborate on projects, or brainstorm new ideas, we’re stepping up to the plate for something greater than ourselves. Each service project, each act of generosity, each connection with the community — these are our innings. They’re where the real work happens.
And yes, it’s wonderful to “win” — to see a major project succeed, to surpass fundraising goals, or to earn recognition for our efforts. But if we only define our success by those wins, we miss the deeper reward. Rotary’s strength lies in the season-long effort — the friendships formed, the lives touched, the persistence through challenges, and the collective spirit that keeps us coming back to the field.
As we move through this Rotary year, let’s play with passion, with purpose, and with pride. Let’s cheer one another on, learn from our missteps, and remember that every contribution counts toward the greater good.
The Jays may not win the World Series every year — but they keep showing up, giving their best, and inspiring a nation in the process. That’s exactly what we do in Rotary.
Let’s make this a season worth remembering — not just for the score at the end, but for the heart we show along the way.
Yvonne Buys President 2025/26
Thought for the week.
“You don’t have to swing hard to hit a home run.” — Yogi Berra
This Week's Zoom Meeting Details:
Topic: Weekly Rotary Meeting Time: Aug 05, 2025 07:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81827939082 Meeting ID: 818 2793 9082 Passcode: rotary
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Last Week: Hillary Fennell and Laura McGugan
Rotary meeting minutes October 21, 2025 Notes by: Lyn McGowan
President Yvonne opened the meeting at 7:06, with 31 members present in person, one on zoom, and 3 guests (prospective member John Hatch and 2 guest speakers – Hillary Fennell and Laura McGugan.) Yvonne waxed effusive – “Oh what a day” and “Oh what a night” – referring to Pumpkinfest and the Annual Dinner/Dance, which both took place this past Saturday. Noting that almost all of our club members were involved in the day’s events in some way, she singled out Margo for her role in decorating the parade float, Bill P for his leadership related to the Dinner/Dance and Howard, Mike and Lana for their roles related to the Auction. This was followed by the presentation of a cheque for $595 to the winner of the 50/50 draw, Brent Dunn (County Upgrades) and his 2 young Blue Jays fans. After leaving, the boys came back a few minutes later with $200 in cash to donate back to the club. Thank you to the Dunn family!
Guest Speakers: David S introduced our guest speakers, whose topic was the PEC Community Safety and Well Being Plan “CSWB”. Hillary Fennell is the Community Initiatives Coordinator for PEC and Laura McGugan is a Coordinator with Community Care for Seniors. Hillary explained that the CSWB is a legislated requirement for all municipalities, under the Community Safety and Policing Act. The motivating idea is “collective impact” - rather than working in silos, work together to tackle big community challenges. In PEC, forty community partners - groups like police, local government, nonprofits and community members - work together in 5 priority areas, each with an Action Team. The Seniors Support Action Team is currently working on a Fraud Awareness Campaign, in response to the $1.28 million lost to reported fraud in PEC in 2024. In addition, Laura said the recently established Senior’s Centre in Picton is thriving, addressing the problem of social isolation among seniors. The Poverty Reduction Action Team has re-established the PEC Food Collective to address food insecurity. One current focus is hosting community dinners in underserved areas of PEC. The Housing and Homelessness Action Team reestablished the Homelessness working Group and the current focus is on exploring new ways to collect and share local housing/homelessness data. The Mental Health and Problematic Substance Abuse Action Team have reestablished PEC’s relationship with MADD Quinte and is organizing a Youth Mental Health Resources Fair at PECI for Nov 27th. The Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence and Intimate Partner Violence Action Team is developing a Survivor Journey survey tool to identify service gaps and access barriers, and is starting a proactive youth engagement program designed to promote healthy relationships in the 12- to 24-year-old age group. Finally, Hillary described the Community Action Projects Initiative which aims to support small-scale grass-roots projects by individuals and informal groups with $500 grants to address local priorities aligned with the CSWB. She encouraged us to contact her if we have questions or ideas: hfennell@pecounty.on.ca (613) 503-0187. Hillary and Laura were thanked by Chris.
Club Business:
Michelle was presented with the Crushed Can Award. Because she was riding on the Rotary Pumpkinfest float, she inadvertently missed her shift on Saturday at the Bottle Depot. In her defence, Michelle explained that she was, in fact, doing Rotary business.
Christine reported that there are now 16 FOR’s planning to attend the FOR event in November. The Committee planning the event will meet after next Tuesday’s meeting.
Upcoming events - Oct 24-26 District Conference; Oct 26 – Electronic Recycling event with Picton Rotary
Peter will send an email to all members regarding the membership proposal for John Hatch.
Birthdays – Happy Birthday was wished to Geoff (Oct 21) and Howard (Oct 22)
Yvonne noted that the lock has been changed on the podium and the storage locker. If you need access to either, see her for the new key.
Christine’s ticket was drawn in the 50/50 draw, but alas, she did not pick the Ace of spades.
The meeting closed at 8:19 with the Four Way Test.
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50/50 Draw This Week: $1840.50
Make sure you get your ticket(s) this week!
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Bottle Depot Volunteers Schedule for This Week
Wednesday September October 29, 2025
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.: John Inwood, Lana Whitteker, Iza Hansen (FoR)
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.:, Gregor Stuart, Sethu Madhavan (FoR), Lari Langford (FoR)
Saturday November 1, 2025
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Phyo Kyi, William Mulholland,
10 a.m. to Noon: Geoff Telling
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Trudy Brown, Jacques Michaud
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Birthdays & Anniversaries
Birthdays
-none-
Anniversaries
-none-
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Rotary Grace
Oh Lord and giver of all good We thank thee for our daily food May Rotary friends and Rotary ways Help us to serve thee all our days.
