September is here!! How did the summer fly by so fast!! September means new beginnings to many people, often even more than January 1. I’m looking forward to beginning another great Rotary year.
Many of us were disappointed that the sold out Sunset Cocktail Party was rescheduled from Aug 28 to Sept 2; I’m sure you all agree that it would not have been pleasant that evening with the rain, cold and wind. The weather forecast looks great for Tuesday. I hope to see many of you there. Huge thanks to Nancy Bailey and her team for the enormous amount of work and time that they have devoted to this event.
Our club has received an interesting request from Anne Bermingham from District 7090. Thirteen incoming exchange students are getting together for the weekend of September 13-14. The organizing team are planning events and activities for our area. The students are from Argentina, Germany, Japan, Brazil, Australia, Italy, Taiwan, France, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Finland and Switzerland – a large list. Anne is looking for hosts for two student for the night of Saturday September 13. If you are able to host two students, please let me know and I will pass your name and contact information along to the planning committee. Many thanks in advance.
Club assembly on September 16 will be taking on a slightly different format this month. We’re planning to have roundtable discussions led by many of the committee chairs and event planning teams/chairs to discuss their current activities and plans for this year. The goal of this activity is ensure that all members fully understand the scope and extent of the work of our club. If you are relatively new to our club, please plan to attend on Sept 16 to learn more about our club and find ways to be more engaged.
With many thanks to Graham McMillan and Jeannie Manning, our website is undergoing an update and refresh. When you’re able, please take a minute to check it out at https://niagaraonthelakerotary.ca/page/. If you have ideas or suggestions for additions to our website, please contact Jeannie.
The annual Participate for Polio Event is scheduled for Saturday September 13. Participants will gather at 10:00 a.m. at the St. Davids Lions Club, 1462 York Road, St. Davids, before cycling to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Post ride, we will enjoy food, beverages, and fellowship at The Old Firehall Restaurant at 268 Four Mile Creek Road. If you are able to participate or wish to donate, please register on the District website https://rotary7090.org/event/2025-participate-to-end-polio-(save-the-date)/. For more information please contact Tommy Wegge at tommy@wegge.ca
In addition to this event, there will be a walk/ride for Polio as part of our social meeting on September 30. More information on this can be found on our website at https://niagaraonthelakerotary.ca/page/participate-for-polio. It would be terrific if our club has a large turnout to either, or both, of these important events,
Happy September. As always, I look forward to seeing you all at our weekly meetings and at our various events/activities.
YIR, Cindy Grant
UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS
Rotary Meetings
Our speaker calendar for the next few months is filling up fast. I am sure they will all be interesting and informative to our members and guests.
NOTL ROTARY CLUB WEEKLY MEETING SCHEDULE
President Elect Chris Hatch schedules our speakers. If you have any recommendations for speakers or know about an interesting group or organization that our member might like to know more about, please let Chris know.
9 Lunch Meeting Jordan Mammoliti (Community Development
Worker) Niagara Nutrition Partners
16 Lunch Meeting Club Assembly
23 Lunch Meeting Melissa Schooley (Apple Hill Apothecary)
Thanks,
Chris Hatch
OPPORTUNITY TO HELP
On behalf of Wells of Hope, I am asking for help with the "Passion 2025" event.
As you well know, we are drilling water wells and building schools in Guatemala. For over 20 years we have brought clean, potable water to communities that had never had tap water in their homes in the mountains of Santa Maria Xalapan in Jalapa. This has resulted in more than 96,500 people using 39 wells receiving clean drinking water.
On Friday, September 26, 2025, we are hosting our annual Passion event at Chàteau des Charmes winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake, from 6:30pm-10pm. The evening will include wine and food tastings, live entertainment, silent and live auctions and of course, general socializing and lots of fun. 100% of the proceeds raised will go directly to our projects in Guatemala .
I am specifically asking for help with ticket sales and the donation of items for the silent auction.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to read about our work and we sincerely hope we can count on your support.
Peace, Scott Maxwell Ph 905 328 7500 Chair & Committee Member
RECENT EVENTS
The Rotary Club of Niagara-on-the-Lake was proudly represented at the NOTL PumpHouse Arts Centre annual Outdoor Art Sale. This gave us an opportunity to promote what Rotary is and what we do.
OUR FELLOW ROTARIANS
Condolences
Arn Westlake
Passed away peacefully at Pleasant Meadow Manor, Norwood, on Aug. 25, 2025, in his 95th year. At the time of Arnold’s passing, he was survived by his loving wife, Marie (nee Sharpe), who passed away Aug. 28, 2025. He was predeceased by his wife, Margaret, and his sons, Bruce and David.
He is sadly missed by his daughter-in-law, Jayme; granddaughter, Emily; grandson, Noah; and step-children John (Sheree), Beth (Dan), David (Sue) and Peter (Tara). He will be fondly remembered by his many step-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was the beloved brother of Pauline Sine (late Carl) and predeceased by his siblings Claude (Edith), Ernest (Marie), Carmen (Doreen), Lorna Taylor (Don), Shirley Foshay (Skip) and Audrey.
Arnold spent his career at two Canadian institutions, CIBC and Canadian Tire. He served on the Board of Governors of Lakehead University and was a founding director of the Lakehead Foundation. He supported the Thunder Bay arts community, Westben, and the Campbellford Memorial Hospital Foundation. Arnold was a longtime Rotarian, beginning with the Port Arthur Rotary Club of Thunder Bay, later joining the Rotary Club of Niagara-on-the-Lake, and ending his service with the Campbellford Rotary Club. While at our NOTL Club, he was a member of our International Service Committee. In the early 2000's, he chaired an ISC subcommittee which applied for and obtained a Global Grant for a Wells of Hope project which provided water wells for a number of villages in a very poor part of Guatemala.
Visitation will be held at Weaver – Campbellford on Friday, Sept. 12, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., followed by a service at 1:30 p.m. Reception to follow. Interment will take place at a later date at St. Marks Cemetery, Niagara-on-the-Lake. Memorial donations to Westben or the Campbellford Memorial Hospital Foundation would be appreciated by the family. Online condolences may be submitted at www.weaverfuneralhomes.com
