Don't just take. Give.

Since inception the Rotary Club of Grand Bend has contributed well over $1,200,000 to local community projects as well as to international initiatives. Over the past 11 years alone, over $600,000 was raised through the local annual Autumn Indulgence fundraisers.

Some of most recent and popular projects are detailed below:

Place visited

People helped

Volunteer

Family helped

Projects

Warner Wildlife and Nature Preserve

Fundraising Campaign

Grand Bend Community Centre

Fundraising Campaign

Beach Enhancement

The beach enhancement has been enjoyed by thousands of visitors enjoying Grand Bend’s main beach.

$100,000 was contributed to this project by Rotary. In addition, a Rotarian co-chaired the leadership of the fundraising for this worthwhile project.

Fundraising Campaign

Grand Bend Medical and Community Centres

Grand Bend Rotary Club raised over $100,000 to fund the Medical Centre and Community Centre

Over $100,000 was raised to fund both the Medical Centre and the Community Centre. In
addition, local Rotarians were the champions and leaders of these 2 projects.

Fundraising Campaign

Eradication of Polio

Thanks to Rotary and its partners polio cases have been reduced by 99 percent worldwide since its first project to vaccinate children in 1979.

Rotary International is passionate in its mission to eradicate Polio worldwide. Thanks to Rotary and its partners polio cases have been reduced by 99 percent worldwide since its first project to vaccinate children in the Philippines in 1979. When Rotary began its work, polio infected more than 350,000 children annually. Today the disease is almost beaten with only a few cases still identified.

Fundraising Campaign

New Seats for Playhouse

Grand Bend Rotary contributed $75,000 to provide new seating for the Huron Country Playhouse during their upgrade.

The Grand Bend Rotary Club is a strong supporter of the local Huron Country Playhouse. Our latest project to help was the donation of $75,000 to provide new seating for their recent upgraded facilities. Also this is the venue for the club’s annual Autumn Indulgence fundraiser and speaker series.

Fundraising Campaign

Sponsorship of Community Speakers

from time to time the club sponsors outside community speakers to address topical subjects. We also facilitate local forums such as municipal All Candidates Meetings and Environmental Presentations.

Fundraising Campaign

Grand Bend Partners In Learning

Grand Bend Partners In Learning is based on a peer-learning concept that has proven to be a great success in the Grand Bend area. In 2004, our club provided the “seed money” to get this club started.

Fundraising Campaign

Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders

We normally invites area teens to apply for an outstanding leadership development opportunity which takes place at the University of Western Ontario in London in the spring. Most years, we select at least one student applicant from area secondary schools to join other students from Southwest Ontario and Eastern Michigan in a program that explores leadership styles and challenges participants to examine how they might lead others effectively. This program encourages students’ thoughts about leadership and their attitudes toward the world around them. Students have the opportunity to share their views with other participants.

Fundraising Campaign

Citizenship Training

Our club normally participates in the “Adventures in Citizenship” program where over 200 outstanding senior high school students from across Canada spend four days in our National Capital in a program designed to develop their potential as leaders in their communities and in Canadian society.

Fundraising Campaign

Student Exchange Program

As part of the Rotary International program our club has accepted foreign exchange high school students from New Zealand, France, Mexico and Thailand for a year of study outside their home countries. In addition, we have sent local students to Japan and Thailand.

Fundraising Campaign

Grand Bend Soccer Pavilion

Fundraising Campaign

High School and Public Schools Awards

Each year our club presents “Service Above Self” awards to chosen students at local High Schools (South Huron and North Middlesex) and the Grand Bend Public School

Fundraising Campaign

Grand Bend Public School

$27,000 was given to the Grand Bend Public School to buy such things as Smartboards and new Playground facilities

Fundraising Campaign

Local Literacy Projects

Local literacy is a major thrust in Rotary. In order to help this cause, our club has donated $2,500 a year for the many years to local public schools in our area to spend in diversified ways to benefit this cause. Also each year the club donates dictionaries to grade 3 classes.

Fundraising Campaign

Probus Clubs

our Rotary club originally furnished the funding for the start-up of the Grand Bend Men’s and Ladies Probus Clubs as well as the Goderich, Exeter and Forest Probus clubs

Fundraising Campaign

Grand Bend Turning Circle

The turning circle at the end of Main Street now contains a nautical theme. The vision of Rotarian Ed Fluter and the help of Jim Southcott and many other Grand Bend members who participated in getting the boat and landscaping done. Grand Bend Botanical Society contributed their time, talent and money to make the turning circle enhancement project a tremendous success. The Rotary Club of Grand Bend donating $15,000 to the project. Grand Bend Botanical Society donated $5,000 to this community project..

Fundraising Campaign

Water Refill Stations

Plastic waste is becoming a huge threat to our lakes and oceans. Every year hundreds of thousands of plastic water bottles are thrown away in this community, and many end up in our beautiful lake. At Autumn Indulgence 2018 we raised $71,900 in a special appeal for water refill stations, to encourage the use of refillable bottles instead of plastic. We are now working with the Municipality of Lambton Shores and adjoining municipalities to install 14 water refill stations in the community. The Rotary Club of Grand Bend has adopted a mission statement to combat plastic waste: The Rotary Club of Grand Bend cares about the environment and is committed to the reduction of plastic waste. Our goal is to work towards the elimination of single use plastics in our community.

Fundraising Campaign