Welcome to our Club!

During the global COVID-19 pandemic, our two Traditional meetings each month are virtual, using Zoom.  We love to welcome guests!  Meeting dates are in our Calendar and Speakers.   Click here or email info@rotarytorontosunrise.com for a Zoom link.

Our schedule: Each month, we have two "Traditional" meetings, one Social/Fellowship event and one Hands-On activity.  Our Traditional meetings are Tuesday mornings at 7:30am Eastern time.  These are usually the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, but can change based on holidays, so please check our Calendar, Speakers and Events on this page to confirm.

 

April 2021
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Speakers
Club Business Meeting
Apr 27, 2021 7:30 AM
Updates from Social and Service Action Groups
David Lockett, PACT
May 11, 2021 7:30 AM
PACT Urban Peace Program: Participation, Acknowledgment, Commitment and Transformation.
Speaker TBD
Jun 08, 2021 7:30 AM
Speaker TBD
Jun 22, 2021 7:30 AM
View entire list...
Upcoming Events
Join Us
Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.  There is much more information at www.rotary.org. To join us, or to learn more about us, click here.
 
News
Fort York Food Bank April 11, 2021
April 11, 2021 - A cold and rainy Sunday morning in Toronto. On days like this, the homeless and marginally housed in downtown Toronto appreciate hot meals even more. Click 'Read More' for more about today, and photos.
 
Join us on the second Sunday every month - next is May 9 - from 9:00am to 1:00pm!  The Fort York Food Bank is at 380 College Street, at Borden and just west of Spadina, in downtown Toronto.
Read more...
Early Start on Great Lakes Watershed Cleanup
April 10, 2021: The Great Lakes Watershed Cleanup has been postponed due to Covid, and Rotarians are encouraged to do their own garbage pickup in smaller and safe groups.  Mary Lou Harrison of Toronto Sunrise (and also Past District Governor of District 7070) took her father, Don Foster of the Rotary Club of Toronto West out to Tim Horton's Saturday.  While in a nearby park, they got a head start on the Cleanup - he pointed with his cane and she picked up garbage. It was a good example of inter club co-operation between Rotary Toronto Sunrise and Rotary Toronto West :)
Electric Vehicles in Canada: Cynthia Ledgley
March 23, 2021:   F.B. Fetherstonhaugh (a patent lawyer), William Still (an engineer) and John Dixon (a carriage builder), all of Toronto, built Canada's first electric car and first ran it around the track at the “Exhibition” in 1893.  Gasoline took over in the 20th century, and we're just getting back now.
 
Read more...
Fort York Food Bank March 14, 2021
March 14, 2021 - A beautiful, if cold, morning in Toronto. Perfect time for Rotary Toronto Sunrise, Rotaract GTA Connect, Toastmasters, and friends - and this week a member of the Rotaract Club of Ottawa 😊 - to cook and pack hot meals for the homeless and marginally housed at Fort York Food Bank, on College Street just west of Spadina in downtown Toronto.  Click 'Read More' for photos.
 
Join us next time, April 11!
 
 
Read more...
Adwoa Buahene: TRIEC:Toronto Regional Immigrant Employment Council
March 9, 2021:  Canada needs immigrants: To grow its economy and compete in global markets, and To expand the workforce, so there are enough people to do the jobs that need to be done, build infrastructure, pay taxes and work in and contribute to vital health and community services.  New Canadians are vital to Canada's economic growth and prosperity.
Read more...
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Rotary
February 23, 2021:  Nikita Williams, of Rotary District 7070's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee.
 
A top priority for Rotary is growing and diversifying our membership to make sure we reflect the communities we serve. 
 
One of many important things she shared was the importance of active listening. That is listening to understand, not listening to respond.
 

 

Read more...
Virtual Super Bowl watch party 2021
February 7, 2021:  Despite a global pandemic, some Toronto Sunrise Rotarians and friends gathered virtually to watch this year's Super Bowl.  A very enjoyable evening, and former Toronto Sunrise member Jason Pole joined us from his new home and career in Australia!
Click 'Read More' for photos :)
Read more...
Masks for Sunnybrook
Brenda Stewart, Toronto Sunrise Rotarian and Spiritual Care Practitioner (Chaplain) at Sunnybrook, delivering the Rotary Club of Toronto Sunrise' contribution of 100 washable, reusable cloth masks for Sunnybrook staff, together with our messages of thanks and support for all front line workers. These non-medical masks are hand made in Fergus, Ontario, and we hope they brighten staff's day and help conserve medical masks for where they're needed most. A big thanks to Mary Lou for organizing and President Doug for transport!
Read more...
The Rotary Foundation - Our Own Charity
 
November 28, 2018 - Past District Governor and current Foundation Chair Michael Bell visited Toronto Sunrise this morning with an update on The Rotary Foundation - history, where we are now and where we would like to be.  Michael encouraged us to look beyond ourselves to see the bigger picture, reminded of the value of regular giving, and described some new partnerships with other NGOs that offer opportunities for the Foundation to do even more.  This includes a maternal and child health project with CUSO in Ethiopia where, through matching, $1,000 can become $15,000 (!), and then buy and equip 30 Midwife Birth Kits and save hundreds of lives.   Photo, from left to right: Wayne, thanking PDG Michael; Michael; Toronto-Sunrise President Ian.
Read more...
Giving Tuesday
On Giving Tuesday, Rotary District 7070 is delighted to sponsor the Miles to End Polio bike ride with a donation of $30,000 of District Designated Funds (DDF) to the PolioPlus campaign! Let’s all do what we can to End Polio Now.  Photo: Past District Governor and current Foundation Chair Michael Bell, and current District Governor Mary Lou Harrison, at Toronto Sunrise, with pen in hand!
Transforming Faces
October 30, 2018 - Toronto Sunrise' current 3-year international commitment of $10,000 is to Transforming Faces, a Canadian registered charity that equips local teams to provide comprehensive cleft lip and palate care that is accessible for all.  More about what Transforming Faces does is here. Courtney Mollenhauer visited us this morning with an update on Transforming Faces' current work at Yekatit 12 Hospital in Ethiopia.  Left to right: Club President Ian, Courtney and Past District Governor Jim.
Read more...
Rotary Reunion
October 27, 2018 - 15 Toronto Sunrise Rotarians, partners and family enjoyed Rotary Reunion 2018 - the District 7070 Annual Conference in beautiful Prince Edward County.  Great focus on 6 important ways to make the world better: water and sanitation, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, peace and conflict resolution, disease prevention and treatment, and economic and community development.  There's more, including social media posts from the event, at http://rotary7070conference.org/
 
Congratulations to DG Mary Lou Harrison (of Toronto Sunrise!), co-Chairs Deb Murray and Rob Leek, and to all the Toronto Sunrisers who helped. Thanks also to the Wellington and Picton Clubs for Sweet County Welcome Friday night, and to all the area Rotarians who offered home hospitality!
 
Left to right: Brenda Stewart, Douglas the Flamingo of Change, Jameel Rahman, Sandie Butterill and Zareen Rahman.
 
Bob Butterill, Past District Governor Jim Loutitt and current District Youth Exchange co-Chair Jason Pole deep in discussion...
 
 
 
World Polio Day
The Rotary Club of Toronto Sunrise was well represented at the World Polio Day flag raising at Toronto City Hall on Wednesday, October 24th, 2018. In attendance were our District Governor Mary Lou Harrison (second from the right), District World Polio Day Chair, Jennifer Boyd (third from the left), Past District Governor and District Foundation Chair Michael Bell (far right) and Club members Past District Governor Jim Louttit (far left), Anton Svendrovski (third from the right) and Toronto Sunrise President Ian Lancaster (in the centre).
Welcome Anton!
On September 25th, Anton Svendrovski was inducted as the newest member of the Rotary Club of Toronto Sunrise. It was an honour to have our District Governor Mary Lou Harrison, also a member of Toronto Sunrise, officiate at Anton's induction during her official visit.  Left to right: Past President Michael, District 7070 Governor Mary Lou, Anton, and President Ian.
 
Welcome New Member Nicole!
Posted by Mary Lou Harrison on Feb 06, 2018
Congratulations to Nicole Jachyra, the newest member of the Rotary Club of Toronto Sunrise and of Rotary District 7070!
 
We are delighted to have Nicole join us in #ServiceAboveSelf as the newest member of the Rotary Club of Toronto Sunrise. She is an aspiring entrepreneur with the classification of "Aviarist".
 
Nicole has a diploma in Accounting and Finance as well as Business Administration and Entrepreneurship. She operates a small business online selling various arts and crafts. Her future plans are to open an aviary (bird zoo) in Toronto. Welcome to the Rotary International family Nicole!
 
Photo: President Michael with Nicole and
DGE Mary Lou, Nicole's sponsor 
 
Georgina Patko - Progress Place
Posted on Nov 14, 2016
The Rotary Club of Toronto Sunrise was pleased to have Georgina Patko, visiting Rotarian from Richmond Sunrise, as our guest speaker.  Georgina provided in introduction to Progress Place.  For over 30 years, Progress Place has been a recognized leader in psychosocial rehabilitation throughout Canada and the international Clubhouse community.  
 
There is no definitive path to recovery for people living with a mental illness. At the heart of Progress Place’s recovery model is the facilitation of an inclusive, respectful and engaging community. Members and staff work side by side to create an environment conducive to the health and wellness of people living with a mental illness. This model helps individuals find their own unique path to recovery, and work through that path at their own pace.
 
Progress Place has an extraordinary record of success helping people get back to work after their lives have been interrupted with a mental illness.  If you’d like to see for yourself how this unique model of support works, please contact Georgina for a tour at 416-323-0223 or gpatko@progressplace.org .
 
Sandie thanked Georgina (right) for her enlightening presentation.
Sandie Butterill - District Conference 2016 Overview
Posted on Aug 08, 2016
The Rotary Club of Toronto Sunrise was pleased to have club member and DC16 Planning Committee Chair, Sandie Butterill, as our guest speaker.  Sandie provided club members with an overview of the conference preparations, and identified areas where volunteering assistance was required.  The team is preparing for a significant marketing push to clubs across District 7070 between now and the conference.  
 
There continue to be excellent Sponsorship opportunities available.  Please contact Clark or Sandie for further information.
 
Jim thanked Sandie for her presentation and leadership of the Committee.
Vlad Litvinov - Transforming Faces Project Overview
Posted on Jul 25, 2016
The Rotary Club of Toronto Sunrise was pleased to have club member Vlad Litvinov as our guest speaker.  Vlad delivered an overview of the proposed Transforming Faces project including District and Global Grant applications which he is preparing on behalf of the project team.
 
Bob thanked Vlad (right) for his thorough work summarizing the project and preparing the applications.
Envisioning A New Club - the Rotary Club of Danforth
Posted on Jul 18, 2016
Rotary Club of Toronto Sunrise member Farid Siddiqui joined our club and expressed a vision, to establish a club in the Danforth area of Toronto.  Farid has held a variety of Rotary leadership positions in Bangladesh, and as he arrived in Toronto he found that there were a number of experienced Rotarians in his community who had not found a suitable club in their community.
 
Sunday July 17, Farid chaired a club organizing meeting which was attended by over a dozen experienced Rotarians and over two dozen new member prospects.  District Governor Jim Louttit and Rotary Club of Toronto Sunrise Club President Clark Ferguson were honoured to attend the meeting and share their Rotary experience and support for the proposed club.
 
On Tuesday July 19, Toronto Sunrise was pleased to welcome Moyeen Choughury (Past President/Past Asst District Governor Rotary Bangladesh), and Suhel Ahmed (Past President Rotary Bangladesh) as guests of Farid to our club meeting.  (Photo:  Clark, Suhel, Moyeen, Jameel, and Farid)
Chris Chen - Classification Talk
Posted on Jul 18, 2016
The Rotary Club of Toronto Sunrise was pleased to have club member Chris Chen as our guest speaker.  Chris delivered his Classification Talk, introducing the club to his passion for community through his martial arts training and teaching.  Chris works in the managed security services field providing a range of client focused business communications and service management at The Herjavec Group.
 
Seun thanked Chris (right) for his inspiring presentation.
Rotary Links
Club Executives & Directors
President
Bruce Stewart
Treasurer
Wayne McDougall
Past President
Doug Vallery
Communications and Branding
Anna Shepherd
Executive Secretary
Sandie Butterill