The Rotary International Convention is rapidly approaching.
This June 13-17, in Taipei, Taiwan, about 35,000 of your closest Rotary friends will be coming together to celebrate Rotary and have the experience of a lifetime.
It’s not too late to sign up and join your friends from D7090 on this Rotary adventure to East Asia and be energized by the experience that is the Rotary International Convention.
From incredible venues, inspiring speakers and the House of Friendship, the Rotary International Convention is a must for all Rotarians.
You will leave the event wanting to go to another and bring back all the great ideas to your own club, along with all the memories you will make.
In lieu of holding our own District Conference for Rotary D7090, this year we will embark on a collaborative District Conference with our neighboring Rotary D7120, NY State Finger Lakes Region.
The conference is being held from May 1- 3 in Ellicottville, NY, which you may recognize as a town (with a Rotary Club) in our own District.
So, mark off these dates on your calendar, and be on the lookout for additional registration information to come.
What a great opportunity this will be to come together with our fellow Rotarians to share ideas, celebrate Rotary, and enjoy some fellowship with others who share our passion and commitment to Unite for Good!
Call for Volunteers! Needed: Planners and Organizers!
Although we are just beginning 2026, Rotary D7090 and DGE Joanne Serkeyn is looking ahead to 2027, and to an exciting District Event, that will be in place of our usual District Conference.
As such, we will need a team of volunteers to help organize and plan this event, scheduled to be in the early part of 2027.
So, if you want to lend your special skills and talents and be part of this exciting event, please let us know.
We hope to have our first organizational meeting in late January/early February and get going early with the planning.
If interested in joining the team, please contact PDG Scott Marcin at sdmarcin@gmail.com.
Rotary District 7090 is inviting Rotarians from across the district to join our Finance Committee and help guide the financial stewardship of our district.
If you have past finance, accounting, budgeting, or governance experience, your skills would be a valuable asset. An interest in learning and supporting good stewardship is equally welcome. We meet the second Thursday of each month on zoom from 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM.
This is a great opportunity to work with Rotarians from across District 7090, gain insight into district operations, and contribute to responsible financial decision-making.
📩 Interested or want to learn more? Please reach out to Sandi Chard (sandichard@gmail.com) Chair Finance Committee 2025-26
The Rotary Peace Centers will accept applications for 2027-28 Rotary Peace Fellowships from 1 February through 15 May 2026.
Opportunities to build peace often start closer to home than we realize. Within our communities there are individuals with the passion, skills, and commitment to become the next generation of global peace leaders. They may be a nonprofit/community leader working to bridge divides, an educator dedicated to conflict resolution, or a young professional driven by equity, justice, and service.
There are 2 fully funded opportunities:
1. Master’s Degree Peace Fellowships Valued at $87,000+ USD offered at: Duke University/University of North Carolina (USA); University of Bradford (UK); University of Queensland (Australia); Uppsala University (Sweden); International Christian University (Japan). For the first time, candidates will be able to apply to study at Rotary’s next peace center opening at Symbiosis International University in Pune, India.
2. Professional Development Certificate Programs Valued at $25,000+ USD are offered at: Makerere University (Uganda) a Bahçendşehir University (Turkey)
If you know a potential candidate, need more information or would like help mentoring a potential peace fellowship applicant, contact District 7090 Scholar Peace Subcommittee Chair Bob Munroe. Applications are now open and will be available online through the final deadline of May 15, 2026.
Begin by watching our Application Checklist Video and review the application process online. See more information HERE.
As “Youth-to-Youth 2026” approaches we are looking at the volunteer roles that need to be filled the week of Mar 22-29. While the main transportation needs -- large groups to/from Toronto and within Six Nations during the week will be done by buses -- there will be a need to transport small groups of students or adult helpers either from the airports or within the Six Nations area.
There are three times we are looking at:
1) Sun Mar 22 with pick-up times ranging from 10am to 6pm- need is to pick up participants at Hamilton (or perhaps Toronto Pearson) and drive to Chiefswood Park in Ohsweken.
2) Mon- Fri - during the day- taking small groups to local areas- so Chiefswood park to Mohawk Institute or Good Minds bookstore or Lloyd King School on Mississaugas of Credit. This would be a 3–4-hour commitment to drive to site, participate in the activity and then drive back to Chiefswood.
3) Sat Mar 28- return trip to Toronto or Hamilton airport from Chiefswood Park- likely Saturday morning (early or late)
There may be other opportunities for volunteers at Chiefswood Park during the week. If you can canvas your clubs and identify people willing to help if needed, that would be great. For drivers, please identify dates available, number of passengers and contact phone number.
Rotary encourages us to expand our reach. This was never more evident than when Ray Bukovec and PDG Charlie Complin of St. Catharines reestablished Rotary in Slovenia in 1990 after the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.
I want to encourage you to join me and be part of the legacy of the St. Catharines Rotary Club. Witness this absolutely beautiful country and its people who will open their homes to you so you may experience life and Rotary 36 years after communism. The transformation is something to behold.
Details: you are responsible for your flight arrangements (approx. $1,200), some meals, conference registration, entrance into tourist attractions, incidentals. They will do their best to keep costs as low as possible.
They will host you, provide breakfast, transportation, and the itinerary.
Dates to be confirmed will most likely be May 30- June 8th, 2026. You are certainly welcome to extend your time in Europe either before or after.
We would hope that you would host when they come in September, but it is not mandatory.
The group total is capped at 12.
Let me know your intentions as soon as you can.
For those who wish to participate, I will need a recent picture, address, phone #, passport # and expiry date. and brief bio.
Richard (Dick) Earne was a pillar of the Grand Island Rotary Club and of our district.
To those of you who served as president during Dick's year as governor (2006 - 2007), do you remember the little rocks he gave out during his club visits?
DG Dick was remarking on the effect a person can have on the world through Rotary service, like the ripples spreading across a pond from even a small, tossed stone.
With help from the Grand Island club, the Richard Earne Reading Garden has been established at the Grand Island Library.
Dick envisioned the creation of this garden to fulfill his goal of extending the usable library space to include a comfortable outdoor seating area for patrons to enjoy.
The garden will be dedicated on Wednesday, May 13th at 5:00 PM.
Location: Grand Island Memorial Library, 1715 Bedell Rd, Grand Island, NY 14072
For a wonderful tribute to Dick from his dear friend and fellow Grand Island Rotarian, the late Henry Kammerer, please "read more".
Allow me to introduce Pickles Johnson, the newest member of the PolioPlus Kennel Klub.
The Clubwas “inspired by Rotarians whose dog, Mollie, agreed to give up $10 worth of treats each month to be a ‘Polio Plus Society’ member”.
Mollie started asking her fellow four-legged friends to help her End Polio, and the Kennel Klub was born! To date, tens of thousands of dollars have been raised for PolioPlus.
And Pickles (PHOTO) has joined the Klub!
Mollie has just launched her $30,000 Matching Challenge! From now until we reach the goal, she’ll be matching every dollar you donate to PolioPlus, up to $30,000.
And here’s the best part: thanks to the Gates Foundation’s 2-to-1 match, each dollar you give will become six in the global effort to end polio. That’s a whole pack of good being unleashed for children everywhere!
How can you sign up your four-legged friend to join Mollie and Pickles in the Kennel Klub? Go to "read more..."
E.L. Crossley Students Embrace 40 Year Holiday Cheer Tradition
The spirit of holiday giving filled the hallways and cafeteria at E.L. Crossley on the last school Monday of December when the Interact Club held their annual Holiday Cheer collection. A tradition at the school for over 40 years, the event has seen a resurgence in recent years following a lull during COVID restrictions.
This year, the club members kicked it into a new level with the Mascot and cheerleaders welcoming students as they brought down boxes of food, toys, and warm clothing to the cafeteria where they stood for a photo booth and signed a massive Holiday card. Supported by Interact’s sponsoring Rotary Club of Fonthill, the school community adopted 17 families in need who were registered with the Salvation Army in Welland. Each family gets non-perishable food items, a food gift card, and personalized gifts for their children. Crossley staff, students, and Rotarians collected so many items that they were able to have boxes of extra food, stocking stuffers and warm hats and mitts to add to some of the other families served by the Salvation Army.
PHOTO: Gifts organized for transportation at E.L. Crossley Secondary School
The Grand Island community collection of new warm underwear to benefit those in need will be held in January and February this year.
The Undie Sunday collection is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Grand Island.
There is a request for new youth and adult-sized T-shirts, warm socks and briefs, which will be provided to Niagara Community Mission and other local missions to distribute. As in most winters, emphasis is on warm socks.
Starting Sunday, January 25th, please bring in packagednew items to place in the Red Hamper. Collection bins can be found in churches, schools, the town hall and GI library, the Island Ship Center, M&T, Northwest and Key banks, and Niagara Frontier Publications. The Hampers will be in place through Sunday, February 8th and will be collected beginning Monday February 9th, when the club sorts and distributes the items to the missions.
Following up on our annual Pancake Breakfast at Hess Street School on December 18, Principal John Efthimiadis gave us a large number of “Thank you” cards and posters created by the students.
What a wonderful display of gratitude and creativity!
We have been hosting this event for so long we have lost track of the number of years, but we think it is over 25!
When John started his position at Hess Street School in September, he started hearing about this great Christmas event from students and now that he has experienced it, he is looking forward to next year!
In recognition of the long partnership between the club and the school, a presentation of a watercolor to the school was made.
Our Rotary Club sponsors two local teams, and we proudly visited and presented Big Cheques to both of them before the Game Video Started.
There are many local robotics teams and events in the 7090 and beyond and we encourage all rotary clubs to search and engage and support them.
Our relationship with both teams has grown so that we volunteer for each other’s events and fundraisers. Our last few RYLA and RYLA jr. participants came through our relationships with these local robotic teams.
As part of Rotary International's "Youth Services" initiatives, we are honoured to support both teams in this year's challenge, with $3000 each for the season.
The longtime Foundation Chair of the Binational Rotary Club of Lewiston, NY USA & Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, John Shaver, recently completed 30 years of membership in Rotary.
He was just awarded a PH+2 honor from Rotary Foundation.
A Paul Harris+2 Fellowship Award is a prestigious recognition given by The Rotary Foundation to individuals who make a significant contribution to the Foundation and is a testament to John's commitment to the ideals and causes of Rotary, which aim to build world understanding and peace.
As part of our 100th Anniversary, the Rotary Club of Simcoe challenged the people of Norfolk County to match our $50,000 donation to the Norfolk General Hospital.
The people of our County stepped up with their $50,000 for a total donation of $100,000 that will go towards new beds for the hospital.
ShelterBox Canada, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Simcoe, is proud to announce the Perks’ Memorial Matching Campaign, a special initiative honoring the remarkable legacy of siblings Bob and Joyce Perks—two individuals whose lives were defined by compassion, service, and community.
Bob Perks was a dedicated Rotarian for more than 33 years, serving the Rotary Club of Simcoe with passion and purpose.
Deeply committed to Rotary’s mission, Bob championed international service and supported ShelterBox Canada’s work to help families rebuild after disaster.
Joyce Perks was known for her warmth, humor, and love of animals.
Together, Bob and Joyce shared a lifelong commitment to helping others—locally and globally.
Our Community Donations Committee was proud to support Bike Me Up Niagara with a $2000 donation to help purchase bike locks for their community bike program.
Following recent bike thefts in St. Catharines, this initiative is a practical step toward helping residents keep their bikes secure and on the road.
This is "Rotary in Action": identifying a local need and working with trusted community partners to create real impact.
Start Me Up Niagara offers services and programs to support people facing significant challenges such as poverty, homelessness, unemployment, disabilities, addictions, and mental health issues.
Their goal is to help these individuals increase their level of self-sufficiency and improve their quality of life through daily drop in, community lunches, health care, income maximization, arts, garden, and employment development.
A key part of this initiative is Bike Me Up Niagara.
At its first meeting for January, Area 16 AG, Marion Beckerink introduced District 7090 Governor Aaron Carlson during his visit with the Westfield-Mayville Club.
Carlson reviewed the accomplishments of the club over time and shared the goals of Rotary International.
He then presented John "Doc" Hamels with his Paul Harris +2 pin and Dan Smith with his Ruby level Paul Harris pin.
Additionally, Smith was presented with a Polio Plus Society pin.
In sad news, it was shared that long-time Rotarian Donald Dowling, who served in a variety of local and area roles, had passed away.
PHOTO (L to R): John "Doc" Hamels, DG Aaron Carlson, Dan Smith
Ravishankar Dakoju pledged that he and his wife and fellow club member, Paola Dakoju, would donate approximately US$50 million (4.5 billion Indian rupees) to The Rotary Foundation.
= 
= Learning
The Rotary International Convention is rapidly approaching.
In lieu of holding our own District Conference for Rotary D7090, this year we will embark on a collaborative District Conference with our neighboring Rotary D7120, NY State Finger Lakes Region. 
Call for Volunteers! Needed: Planners and Organizers!
The Rotary Peace Centers will 
As “Youth-to-Youth 2026” approaches we are looking at the volunteer roles that need to be filled the week of Mar 22-29. While the main transportation needs -- large groups to/from Toronto and within Six Nations during the week will be done by buses -- there will be a need to transport small groups of students or adult helpers either from the airports or within the Six Nations area.
Rotary encourages us to expand our reach. This was never more evident than when Ray Bukovec and PDG Charlie Complin of St. Catharines reestablished Rotary in Slovenia in 1990 after the breakup of the former Yugoslavia.
Richard (Dick) Earne was a pillar of the Grand Island Rotary Club and of our district.
Allow me to introduce Pickles Johnson, the newest member of the 
E.L. Crossley Students Embrace 40 Year Holiday Cheer Tradition
The Grand Island community collection of new warm underwear to benefit those in need will be held in January and February this year.
Hess Street School says, “Thank You!”
Longtime Rotarian Honored
As part of our 100th Anniversary, the Rotary Club of Simcoe challenged the people of Norfolk County to match our $50,000 donation to the Norfolk General Hospital.
ShelterBox Canada, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Simcoe, is proud to announce the Perks’ Memorial Matching Campaign, a special initiative honoring the remarkable legacy of siblings Bob and Joyce Perks—two individuals whose lives were defined by compassion, service, and community. 
The Rotary Club of Simcoe will be holding our second annual pickleball tournament on Saturday April 4 at the Rec Centre in Simcoe.
Our Community Donations Committee was proud to support 
Join Us February 21st for 26th Annual Trivia Night
At its first meeting for January, Area 16 AG, Marion Beckerink introduced District 7090 Governor Aaron Carlson during his visit with the Westfield-Mayville Club.
