2025/2026 Year in Review

Our Club 2025-2026 Year in Review

Our club has members that have generosity, heart, and community spirit woven into their mindset. We all embraced the theme of “Unite for Good” and felt the impact of what happens when a small group of resolute members come together with purpose to highlight “Service above Self” on our programming over the past twelve months.

Thank you for showing up, stepping up and helping over the course of the year. Below is a review of what we accomplished—together under the leadership of Judy-Ann Wybenga as our Club President and the 2025/2026 Board members:

The Westerner Fair in July 2025 was a good start to our year. With our Charitable partners we did 5 solid days of selling 50/50 tickets. The winner took home $37,587.50. In our debrief on August 18 we had preliminary WHAT IF discussions on pivoting to Rotarians and friends only for Westerner for 2026. Our seven charitable partners received a total of $11,273. Net benefit to the community of $27,165.36 Thanks to Jeffrey Dawson for leading the group through the 5050 experience. Cheque presentations were made on October 22 to FSCA, Sendero Centre, Youth Headquarters, Ronald McDonald House, Care for Newcomers, Canadian Ski Patrol, and the Westerner.
We were the co-sponsors of the 2025 ASPIRE Child Development Centre Park IT inclusive community summer program for $5000. Note that for 2026 we are the sole sponsor of the program for the full $10,000.
Our meeting location of Sunnybrook Farm Administration Building served us well with easy parking and gracious hospitality by Ian Warwick behind the scenes. Having our Set Up Pairs provide beverages and snacks worked well to keep our food costs on budget. Thanks to everyone for making this self-managed approach to catering work for our regular twice monthly in-person meetings.
For the annual Week of Service Collaboration in September along with the Kinsmen, Lions Club and Optimist Clubs we gave $2000 to ASPIRE to replace 5 computer iPad used for their EASE program. We also volunteered (6) for set up at the Evening of Decadent Desserts on October 2.
Our Club successfully transitioned to using ClubRunner for all event planning and document storage. A special thank you to Lori for being THE behind the scenes “master” of creating and sharing all event details and invitations. Everyone has the App on their phone and is committed to using the Event Invitation and Sign-Up feature to confirm meeting attendance.
In the spirit of Christmas, we prepared 56 Christmas Cheer bags for underprivileged youth via Youth Headquarters. Thanks to Irina Peters and Bev Refugio for leadership and shopping to keep this tradition going.
The in-person meeting fee of $10 continued this year to cover room rental and incidentals.
Over the course of the year, we welcomed 3 new members: Nicola Weimer, Samantha Shandal, and Rebecca Gama. We were so pleased to have Irina Peters and Susan Kmetiuk make the decision to return to our Club as well.
Rotary Blood Challenge Socials have been held monthly featuring an array of local restaurants. Inter club participation, especially from Lacombe, is noteworthy. A tip of the hat to Barkada Grill, Cilantro & Chive, It’s All Greek to Me, Lidos (Lacombe), The Hideout, Los Palmeros, The Ranch House, Lucky’s Restaurant, Tiffanys, FoodUA, and Local Croffle House. Great job by Lori Begg on update BULLETINS and Blood Drives.
The Special Edition Sweet and Savory Auction on October 29 raised an incredible $7100 for The Mustard Seed Red Deer School Lunch Program. Thanks to Giving Tuesday and a matching challenge the final fundraising amount was $14,200. WOW !!! It was a memorable evening and special thanks to Lynn Stegman and Susan Kmetiuk for designing, assembling and serving our charcuterie cups!
We provided ten 50/50 raffle ticket sellers for two of the Red Deer Rebel’s home games in October and February. Our cut of the profits for two nights work was $2270.
On December 31 at high noon, we signed off a one-year agreement with the Westerner for the 2026 Westerner 50/50. The terms of the agreement mark a new partnership that does not include charitable partners as ticket sellers. Thanks to Dave Oxley and Jeffrey Dawson for working with Judy-Ann to get the document over the finish line.
All 4 Red Deer high schools received two x $500 Rotary Club of Red Deer Sunrise Leadership Scholarships (previously Mel Stevenson Scholarships) for students planning a postsecondary education program based on refreshed eligibility criteria. Thanks to Lynn Stegman for leading this rebranding work with Ian Warwick, Lori Begg and Susan Kmetiuk
Our partnership with Inclusion Alberta continues to flourish with several job seekers securing employment. “Real jobs, real pay, real people.” Gina Belich has expertly followed up on all connections we have suggested in the local business community. Kudos to Dwaine Souveny for helping create a job at Canyon Ski Hill and to Grant Burchnall for the new opportunity at Red Deer Mechanics.
As a member of the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce we participated in the February 24 Business After Hours event at the Gameland Arcade to promote our club. Thanks to Grant Burchnall for organizing.
We had a group of 18 walkers for the “Coldest Night of the Year” fundraiser on February 28. With Lori Begg as our lead, we raised $2790 in support of The Mustard Seed and The Food Bank serving people experiencing hurt, hunger and homelessness. We ranked 7/54 for our fundraising goal. Our prize money of $200 translated into an evening of dining and bowling at Heritage Lanes.
Ultimately our club’s quest for a “project” concluded with a motion at the May 13, 2026 Club meeting to give $100,000 to Youth Headquarters for 4 specific youth projects based on a partnership agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding with AGLC approval.
Our Club members worked at the Foodbank in October (5), November (8) and March (3) sorting food and preparing food hampers. For those who participated it was great physical workout and teamwork experience.
Our RYLA student, Eli Anderson was able to attend the Deer Valley Meadows (Alix) leadership retreat with Susan K as his uber driver and mentor. We also will be sending 2 participants to Camp Waskaway in August.
Our annual dues date was moved up to May 31 with categories of $250 for a single membership, $300 for a family, $225 for < 40, and $400 for a corporate membership (3 people, 1 registered as a voting member).
Green Deer was attended by an industrious group of 8 Rotarians and friends on May 9 to clean up bags and bags of garbage from our trail system.
We had two members join the End Polio Plus Society -- $100 US per year until the world is eradicated from polio. Thanks to Grant Burchnall and Judy-Ann Wybenga for becoming members of the society.
DISCON 5360 was held in Red Deer from May 1 – 3. Many thanks to Edith and Dave Oxley, Grant Burchnall, Lori Begg, and Nicola Weimer for representing our club at this important annual event.
Westerner Rodeo on May 21 – 23 gave our Super QUAD of Jeffrey Dawson, Ajoy Joseph, Grant Burchnall and Dave Oxley the exclusive privilege of selling 50/50 tickets. The prize of $19,210 ($38,420 total) remains unclaimed. Noted that it was Edith O that was a powerhouse seller.
The 6^th Annual Rotary Branches Out Tree Planting took place on June 6 in conjunction with the Downtown Club and Ecole la Prairie. Our sapling planters were Dwaine, Lori, Irina, Nicola and Judy-Ann.
Meeting Location search for 2026/2027 was undertaken by Dave Oxley and Judy-Ann Wybenga. Criteria for venue review included capacity for up to thirty people, parking, accessibility, storage availability, monthly rental cost, recognition, washrooms, access to WiFi and computer hook up, catering availability and other amenities.
Year end membership satisfaction survey had a participation rate of 88%. Results were shared at the June 17 Club meeting and will be used to shape our upcoming Rotary year content.
What a year! We Had FUN and got things DONE.