Rotary Club of Northern Bruce Peninsula News
Submitted by Rob Hiscott
On November 9th, Rotary hosted a very popular first-annual chili cook-off at Rotary Hall as a fundraiser for the Bruce Peninsula District School (BPDS) trip to The Netherlands in 2025. Around 100 people came out to support this class trip and taste sample up to eight different chili recipes prepared by different service organizations and groups in the Northern Bruce community. BPDS students and their parents/teachers volunteered that evening to serve the chilis (along with delicious corn breads) and bus tables, while Rotarians tended bar throughout the evening. The chili cook-off event raised over $2,000 towards the upcoming Europe trip, which will take place during the 70th anniversary of Canadian soldiers liberating The Netherlands at the end of World War II.
As people arrived at Rotary Hall, they received ballots to vote for their favourite chili recipe of the evening. The top-ranked customer choice of the evening was ‘Oven Cooked Chili’ submitted by Bruce Peninsula Biosphere Association, prepared by Patricia Sein. The second-ranked choice was ‘Turkey Sweet Potato Chili’ submitted by the Rotary Club of Northern Bruce Peninsula, prepared by Rotarian Sue Kolundzic, and the third-ranked favourite chili was ‘Champ’s Chili’ submitted by our local SWANS organization, prepared by Judith Friend. Other great chili offerings were prepared by Bruce Peninsula Men’s Shed (who provided two different recipes), Bruce Peninsula Environment Group, Lion’s Head Hospital Auxiliary, and a second Rotary Club of Northern Bruce Peninsula contribution from Rotarian Mary Fowler. All prepared chilis for the evening were delicious, making it a tough choice for customers to select a favourite recipe.
Rotary thanks all twelve BPDS students (Annabelle, both Matthews, Skyler, Bronwyn, Gage, Torey, Carley, Lillie, Keighly, David and Lena), as well as nine parents/teachers (Barbara, Rusty, Denise, Dennis, Chantelle, Karen, Stephanie, Tara and Marni) who volunteered during the course of this fundraising event. Rotarians Richard Jackson, Dan Bryans, Sue Kolundzic and Mary Fowler organized this fundraising event, liaising with Emily Cameron at BPDS and parent representative Barbara Mocny. And of course, Rotary thanks all the supporting organizations and chefs who prepared their delicious chili recipes for this fundraiser event, and especially thanks to all the people who came out to taste-test the delicious chili recipes and contribute to this BPDS class trip fundraiser!
Your local Rotary Club looks forward to sponsoring and hosting another chili cook-off fundraiser event sometime in 2025!
Remembrance Day Coffee Social at Rotary Hall
Your local Rotary Club hosted a social gathering at Rotary Hall before and after Remembrance Day services at the Lion’s Head Cenotaph across Main Street. This social event was well-attended with people stopping by for hot beverages and cookies, both before and after the Remembrance Day ceremony at the Cenotaph. Thanks to Rotarian Dan Bryans for coordinating this social gathering at Rotary Hall.
Santa is Coming December 7th
We’re excited to report that Santa Claus will indeed be coming to town, visiting in time for the Lion’s Head Santa Claus Parade on Saturday, December 7th, sponsored by your local Rotary Club. As in past years, the parade will set up just outside Bruce Peninsula District School (floats are needed, and parade participants are asked to arrive to register by 12:15, just outside BPDS – under the direction of our Parade Marshall Rod Barr), and will start its route through Lion’s Head at 1:00 PM!
We’re thrilled that Santa is coming, and that there will be a family-friendly kids party for everyone to meet with Santa and his elves after the parade inside Rotary Hall at 59 Main Street, Lion’s Head. Hot beverages (hot chocolate, coffee, tea) and snacks will be available at the Hall after the parade, and Santa and his two elf helpers will be handing out treat bags to all the visiting children. Seasonal music will fill the Hall, and Friends of the Library will also be at the Hall handing out a new book gift to each visiting child. Be sure to come out to greet Santa before he heads back to the North Pole for final preparations!
Rotary encourages individuals and groups to join the Lion’s Head Santa Claus Parade by entering a float and coming out to the parade, to help continue this community Christmas Holiday tradition! If you or your business is interested in donating towards the Lion’s Head Santa Claus Parade, Rotary would appreciate your financial contributions – any donations received will help provide treats for the children during the parade and after when we gather at the Rotary Hall for family-friendly events for the young and young-at-heart!
Donations can be made by e-transfer to nbprotary@gmail.com (please put your name or company name in the message box so we can acknowledge your donation), or by cheque payable to Rotary Club of Northern Bruce Peninsula which (due to the on-going postal strike) can be dropped off to Marydale Ashcroft at ‘The Shops at 84 Main’ or to Rotarian Doug Embleton at his shop on Main Street. Rotary will also be collecting non-perishable food items for local food banks at the Rotary Hall that afternoon and making donations to our local food banks.
Harbourside Inside Concert, December 7th
Rotary is sponsoring a Harbourside Inside Christmas Holiday Concert starting at 7:00 at Rotary Hall with local musicians performing a mix of classical and popular music. Rotarians will tend bar, and all net proceeds from the event will go towards Wendell’s Walk, a fundraiser organized by Rotarian Wendell Thomson to support Brightshores Lion’s Head Hospital, to help ‘keep health care local’. We hope to see you there!
Finally, Rotary would also like to thank Miller Family Camp of Miller Lake for their donation of fifteen bags of ice to our Club which will be used at Rotary bars over coming months.
