Rotary has always been about people. Not projects. Not numbers. People.
Our goal of reaching 1.25 million Rotarians and 125,000 Rotaractors by our 125th anniversary in 2030 is also about people.
I bring up this goal again not because I expect the number itself to move you. Numbers rarely do. I bring it up because I worry that a goal this large can begin to feel abstract, distant from the everyday work of our clubs. I do not want that to happen. So let us talk, once more, about what is truly behind it.
I want to offer your club a simple exercise. Look back over the last five to seven years and find your best year. Maybe it was a year new members arrived and, more meaningfully, stayed. Maybe it was a year your meetings became something members looked forward to, rather than another obligation on a crowded calendar. Find that year. Then I ask you to do better than your best.
This is not a call to outpace the club across town or the district next door. It is never meant to be a competition between Rotary members. It is, instead, an invitation to hold ourselves to our own highest standard — and to rise to meet it again.
Why does this 2030 membership goal matter enough to me that I keep returning to it? Because behind every one of those numbers is a person whose life could be changed by this organization, just as mine and yours have been changed by it. Rotary has given me friendships that have lasted decades, a sense of purpose I did not know I was searching for, and something that, in time, came to feel like an extension of my family. I suspect many of you understand this in your own lives, in your own way.
That life-changing experience is what we offer when we invite someone to join us. There are people in your communities right now who would find real meaning here if only someone thought to ask them. So tell them your story. Tell them honestly how Rotary changed you, not just about the projects you led or the funds you raised but about the person you became along the way. Those stories have a way of reaching people when little else does.
If we hope to Create Lasting Impact, the kind that resounds for generations, we will need more people standing beside us to help carry our work forward. Let us come together, not only this month but every month of every year, to make Rotary stronger, more joyful, and more like the family it has always been to me.
Find your best year. Then let us be better than our best, together.
YINKA President, Rotary International
Rotary Theme for September
Rotary: Creating Opportunities Through Literacy and Education
Literacy and education are powerful tools for creating stronger, healthier and more connected communities. Through Rotary, clubs around the world support children, youth and adults by helping provide access to books, schools, learning opportunities and the resources needed to succeed.
Education opens doors. It helps children build confidence, develop skills and imagine a future filled with possibilities. Rotary members support initiatives that improve access to quality education, strengthen schools and encourage young people to stay engaged in learning.
Literacy is equally important. The ability to read, write and understand information gives people greater independence and helps them participate fully in their families, workplaces and communities. Rotary projects may include book drives, reading programs, school partnerships, scholarships and support for teachers and students.
Project Amigo
Through Project Amigo, the Rotary Club of Edmonton West is proud to support our student, Cristian Alexander Martínez Antonio, as he works toward achieving his educational goals and building a brighter future. Project Amigo provides students with educational opportunities, mentorship, and ongoing encouragement, helping them overcome barriers and reach their full potential.
We are honoured to play a small part in Cristian’s journey and look forward to following his progress. Supporting young people through education is an important part of our commitment to creating lasting, positive change both locally and internationally.
The George Grover Leadership Scholarship
The Rotary Club of Edmonton West believes that investing in young people is one of the most meaningful ways we can strengthen our community and create a brighter future.
One of our proudest education initiatives is the George Grover Leadership Scholarship, which awards three $10,000 scholarships each year to University of Alberta undergraduate students in their second, third or fourth year. The scholarship recognizes superior academic achievement and demonstrated leadership through community service, university organizations, sports or cultural activities, with preference given to students with financial need.
Administered by the University of Alberta, the endowed fund has grown to $750,000, making it one of the university's highest-valued undergraduate awards. The Rotary Club of Edmonton West is proud to have helped build this important legacy.
Whether supporting a student here at home or helping provide educational opportunities internationally, Rotary is investing in young people and helping them build brighter futures.
Community Service
Helping People Get the ID They Need
On August 26, NCSA held the first of two clinics designed to help community members obtain essential identification. The clinic assisted 39 people with applications for health care cards and birth certificates—important documents that are often the first step toward accessing housing, employment, health care and other services.
Rotary Club of Edmonton West President John attended the clinic and helped out in the afternoon, while Rose from the Rotary Club of Mayfield welcomed and greeted clients in the morning. Their friendly presence helped make the process a little easier for those navigating what can be a complicated system.
The second clinic will take place in September and will tackle the next challenge: helping participants obtain government-issued photo ID. For many people, having proper identification can open the door to opportunities and services that are essential to moving forward.
Rotary is proud to partner with NCSA and other community organizations to help remove barriers and make a practical difference in the lives of local residents.
Working at the Food Bank
Sorting donated food at the Edmonton Food Bank is definitely one of our favourite volunteer activities! There’s something about sorting boxes of donated food and everyone working together that makes for a pretty great evening.
We were joined by members of the Northern Lights Rotaract Club and our newest Rotary member, Daniel! It was fantastic to have some new faces, lots of energy, and plenty of helping hands.
We sorted, packed, lifted, laughed—and maybe got just a little competitive about who could empty the boxes the fastest! Most importantly, we know that every item we sorted will end up in a hamper and help someone in our community.
A big **THANK YOU** to everyone who came out and gave their time. This is what **Service Above Self** looks like!
Variety Children's Charity
**Go Baby Go!**
Al, Bill, Brian, Darryll, Lorne, John, Penny and Rob spent the day building two jeeps and a dune buggy as part of Alberta Variety’s Go Baby Go program. This year, volunteers are building more than 80 cars for children with disabilities!
After 90 minutes (a little longer for those tricky jeeps!), the excitement grew as the cars came together and we waited for the families to arrive.
Our dune buggy was built especially for Noah, who had outgrown his jeep. Seeing the delight on his face—and his family enjoying a drive around the park—was absolutely wonderful!
We were also pleased to present a cheque toward our club’s commitment to Alberta Variety. And we’re looking forward to helping out at the Volt Hockey Tournament soon!
It was fantastic to have some new faces, lots of energy, and plenty of helping hands.
Most importantly, we know that every item we sorted will end up in a hamper and help someone in our community.
**Go Baby Go!** 
