Rotary Clubs in Kitchener-Waterloo

#PeopleOfActionKW

 
One of Rotary’s initiatives is to connect passionate people with diverse perspectives to exchange ideas, forge lifelong friendships, and, above all, take action to change the world. The five Clubs in Kitchener-Waterloo are coming together to connect in the community through acts of service. Our first hands-on project is in partnership with KidsAbility to refurbish and renew the Sensory Garden located at KidsAbility Centre for Child Development in Waterloo, ON.
 
 

What is Rotary in Kitchener-Waterloo?

Proudly serving for 100 years, the five core Rotary Clubs of Kitchener-Waterloo are dedicated to supporting local charities, institutions, and international humanitarian projects. Our Clubs engage community leaders to support the work of Rotary International with a local, city-core focus on community, families, and children in need.
 
Each Club offers a unique experience and are open to you exploring your options before diving in! We want you to find the Club that suits your schedule, skills, ambitions, and service needs.
 
In the virtual world we’re living in, why not click and connect with Rotary in Kitchener-Waterloo?
Learn more about each Club below!
Please Email or Phone Paul Rostrup to learn more about any of the clubs in Kitchener-Waterloo.
Leadership Waterloo Region is in the people business.
 
LWR is a charity dedicated to leadership development across the diverse spectrum of talent that makes up Waterloo Region. They envision a community that is vibrant, resilient and inclusive of leaders from all walks of life, experience and passions, and strive to empower and equip those leaders with the tools they need to make their mark Waterloo Region in meaningful ways.
 
Over 480 Core Program graduates are out in our community making an impact on over 400 committees and boards. In short, LWR leaders are not only positioned to bring ideas forward, but they are equipped to bring the community together to actually make change a reality.
 
Why is this important when there are so many challenges facing our community, like affordable housing, mental health, food insecurity? If you ask LWR’s CEO, Diane Wiles, she agrees but adds, “there are a number of issues that need time, care and resources. But who, if not leaders like those from LWR will step up and commit the time and those resources to tackle them?”
 
LWR works to ensure the long-term vitality of our great community. They engage facilitators to speak on relevant topics that are critical at times of need, and also for those times when we need to sit back, reflect and stretch ourselves about what we think we know.
 
It's easy to see how LWR aligns with Rotary’s vision to build communities where its citizens thrive and are connected to each other through service. If you’d like to learn more about LWR, Diane would love to buy you a cup of coffee!
The Ongoing Sensory Garden Project at KidsAbility
Our 5 Clubs came together on October 23rd, 2021 to complete the first step of this project! 
 
On June 18th, a sunny Spring morning in 2022, Rotarians from the five local clubs (Kitchener, Waterloo, Kitchener-Westmount, Kitchener-Conestoga and Kitchener Grand River) came together armed with garden gloves, shovels, rakes, garbage bags, knee pads, wheel barrels, a big mountain of mulch donated by Moser Landscaping and an extra dose of goodwill to clean up the Sensory Garden at KidsAbility, an organization that supports over 9,000 children and youth to reach their communication, social, physical and behaviour goals each year. 
 
This garden provides an environment designed with the purpose of stimulating the senses by the use of plants and materials that engage the senses of sight, smell, touch, taste and sound.  The children and youth who experience this garden are also invited to assist with planting various species that they can watch grow and mature to their full capacity - much like the journey they are on at KidsAbility. 
 
Please click HERE to view a video of our local Rotary People of Action having fun and making a difference in our community! 
Did you know that KidsAbility first opened its doors as the K-W Rotary Children’s Centre in 1957? During the formative years between 1922 to 1957, Rotary Club members organized medical clinics, transported children to Toronto hospitals when they couldn’t be seen locally, and fundraised to buy equipment and pay for medical services!
 
We are excited to continue to make a difference for so many local families today and for years to come. Join us and follow along on our social media pages using the hashtag #peopleofactionkw