The Rotary Club of Fergus Elora held its 42nd annual changeover night on June 16.
The event was held at the Heritage River Retirement Residence as the members celebrated the conclusion of an excellent Rotary year and the beginning of a new one.
The highlight of the night was the presentation of cheques for funds raised over the year.
The Rotary Aquatic Centre received half of the $100,000 committed to the community Sportsplex by the local club. The club also donated $5,000 to each of KidsAbility and the Rotary International Polio Plus campaign.
KidsAbility is a local program started with help from Rotary Clubs to help children and young adults with developmental, physical and communication disabilities. The Polio Plus campaign was initiated in 1985 to eradicate polio from the world. Rotary is raising $200-million to meet the challenge set forth by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in donating $355-million. By the time polio is eradicated, Rotarians will have raised $1.2-billion and donated hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours.
Rotary achievements were also recognized. The Fergus Elora club received a presidential citation from the President of Rotary International. That recognizes the success of service projects and growth of the club, indicating that the club is making a difference in the world. The highest award within Rotary, the Paul Harris Fellowship, was awarded to three members. John Alliston, John Wheatley and Mary MacGregor were all honoured for their selfless contributions to Rotary and the Centre Wellington community. The award is named after the first president of Rotary in 1905.
The night was capped off with the passing of the gavel from now past-president Wheatley to the 2009-2010 president, Russ Spicer.
