Message From the President – Mar 2025

We will be entering March as Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Month.  As we enter into spring just around the corner, it is time to put away the shovels in exchange for golf clubs and pickleball racquets. As we enter the 120^th Rotary year, since Paul Harris created the Magic of Rotary, we celebrated the birthday of Rotary on February 23^rd, 2025, by taking the plunge into Kal Lake by the new pier. Some of us truly took the plunge while others cheered the participants on. Thanks to Clara for showing us her true stuff, and Peter Evans for wearing a wetsuit to keep his tender parts intact. Thanks to Sarah for supplying the cookies and hot chocolate, which was a big hit. I think Neil had three cups!

We will be having a couple of offsite meetings to start off the month, firstly at the Asian Avenue on March 6^th, and then at the Army and Navy Club on March 13^th. Please don’t forget to register! We are then back to the Lodge for March 20^th, and then our TEAM Meeting on the 27^th, TBD. As spring progressively arrives, stay tuned for some community service projects from Antonia, which may include spring cleanup at the lookout.

 As discussed by Dustin last month, keep your thinking caps on for nominations for Vocational Service Award recipients. We will be accepting nominations for this award for the next few months, and it will most likely be presented in June. This is a very important recognition of someone who not only exceeds in their professional life but assists in the community to understand and benefit from the input and achievements that impact our community beyond the office door.

The Rotary Pier project at Kal Beach is in full swing as the construction of the pier continues. We met with both the Vernon Rotary Club and Silver Star Rotary to get financial assistance for completion of the project. We have performed pile driving for the base of the rock monument to be placed upon, and have ordered the accessibility mats for wheelchair access to the pier and beach. We have received the mats delivered to the District of Coldstream, and await the monument placement.

The Legacy committee, led by Peter Evans and Mike Nolan, since presenting the unveiling of the Legacy Project, the Okanagan Science and Technology Centre, continue discussions and preparations to make this a reality. We are all truly excited for this dream to become a reality as we focus on fundraising and public awareness of this ambitious endeavour. We anticipate that we may showcase this at our Dream Auction. We have truly been blessed with this opportunity to make the “Magic of Rotary” visible in tangible terms in our community.

We look forward to several key events coming up in the next few months and remember to mark the date on your calendars for the Kal Rotary Golf Classic, to be held at the Vernon Golf and Country Club on June 5^th. This year’s donation will be featuring Starfish. More details for sponsorship and registration will be forthcoming. You can get out and practice that golf swing a little earlier than anticipated, as Spring Break approaches.

While it seems that the year has flown by so quickly, please be aware that the planning for the 2025-26 year is already in progress. We will be required to select our new directors and officers in the weeks ahead, so please keep in mind that if you wish to maintain your current Executive positions, please let Brian and Deanna know. I am still looking for a successor for the role of President for the following year, and am fully committed to mentor the new person that would like to become the President-Elect, to take over the position for the 2026-27 Rotary year. Kim will be presenting budget drafts at our upcoming Executive meeting, and we will be moving forward to the ever -nearing July 1, 2025 start date of our new Rotary year.

Thank you all for making the initial months of this Rotary year filled with fun and fellowship and I look forward to enjoying the remaining months ahead. Thank you for your support, enjoy friends and family anticipating the spring, wonderful weather, and fellowship opportunities, and may 2025 be everything you thought it could be!

Personal regards,

Brian Reid
President, Kalamalka Rotary 2024-25