The group responsible for establishing the glorious Rotary Park at the end of Rodeo Drive is now celebrating its 20th anniversary.
The park – a recent addition to Riel Park and a major recreational spot during the summer for family outings, fishing and boat launching – is but one of the many major accomplishments of the Saint City Rotary Club. It's only 16 members strong ... with an emphasis on the 'strong'.
"It's the little club that can," said Linda Perras, one of the charter members and a member of the anniversary committee.
It's tough to recap as much as they've done with their hearty crew and the club's relatively young life. Needless to say, they've travelled around the world to help communities but the main focus of their work is right here in 'Saint City.'
One of its biggest accomplishments was opening Rotary Park with its accompanying playground and barbecue pits in Riel Park in 2014. It was actually one of the club's first undertakings but completion took nearly a decade for the land to even be ready for a plan to be set on it. In the end, the club amassed nearly $400,000 for the park, which includes a new asphalt trail system and concrete pads, plus a new covered structure was installed and 143 new trees were planted.
Saint City Rotary is also involved in the drug awareness program offered by the Clean Scene Network for Youth Society. It was started in 2002 by Mike Ryan.
"He was a drug addict, and he was involved in a life of crime, and then he changed his life around. Now, he's basically mentoring youth and getting them back on the right road."
They also supported Canadian Association of Fire Services Abroad, a past St. Albert organization run by retired fireman Victor Fernandez. He solicited fire departments to offer used and expired but still serviceable fire equipment. He would refurbish items and then arrange for them to be donated and transported to fire departments in need in countries all around the world.
Still in St. Albert, the club helped to establish an Interact Club at St. Albert High and a new Rotaract Club, essentially a young adult Rotary Club, just this past summer.
"We've also sponsored students to go to youth enrichment programs through the different schools. Another one of our big things that's ongoing right now is Appetite to Achieve. That's where we help support in the St. Albert Public School system supplying breakfast, lunch and snacks to students in need."
That program currently serves more than 250 students with important, nourishing food each school day.
Then there's the ongoing support of Canadian Association of Medical Teams Abroad.
"They do hip and limb repairs and replacements. They go down to Quito every year and they actually teach the medical staff down there."
One of their biggest international efforts was building a facility with a kitchen, kindergarten, daycare, and teen centre for families who lived at a community dump in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
"I had originally gone down in 2005 and I worked with the Rotary Club down there. I was down there on holidays and went to a Rotary meeting because with Rotary you can make up anywhere in the world. They went to the dump and they were giving fresh vegetables and fruit and water to families living at the dump. It was quite an experience."
Obviously, Saint City Rotary hasn't bided its time. They've needed only 20 years to accomplish so much, and much more.
"I don't know where all the time goes but it does seem to just fly by," Perras continued, mentioning there's no shortage of community work to be done here and around the world.
"It's amazing the need that there is and, of course, with COVID right now, the need is even greater. What keeps me going is giving and knowing there's such a need."
The virtual 20th anniversary presentation is set to take place on Tuesday, Nov. 24. Anyone who wishes to attend can email Perras at [email protected] or call her at 780-459-3444 to gain access to the Zoom link.
Visit saintcityrotary.org for more information on the event and on how to join. The club is always happy for more members and generally meets on Tuesdays at 5:45 p.m. at the St. Albert Inn and Suites, though meetings are currently held virtually for obvious reasons.
On the website, you can also find a link for the club's current fundraiser: Wine Survivor. Tickets are $20 each, 3 for $50, or 8 for $100. Prizes range from 25 bottles of wine for the third place winner, 50 bottles for second, and 100 bottles for first place. Sales end on Dec. 13.
