Rotary Club of Chatham

10/15/2026

Shout out to our club for their support. All Rotarians are invited to this free community screening.

The Chatham-Kent Public Library has 11 locations throughout Chatham-Kent. Check out reading materials, books, movies and more with a Chatham-Kent Public Library Card!

10/04/2026

How often do you reminisce over the music of your past?

We're inviting all Rotarians, family and friends to join us on October 30th to spend an evening enjoying the 'Music of Our Lives' . . . . what's that most meaningful song for you?

How would you like to hear it again?

Join us for what promises to be an amazing evening of dining, dancing and celebrating the Music of Our Lives.

All the details are right here. https://www.facebook.com/events/1754459628932077

We'll be looking for you.

09/30/2026

We recently welcomed a new member to our club, Nick Gonzalez.
Today we had an opportunity to learn much more about Nick, his family, his values and his next steps in his business direction.

It was not only inspiring, but it offered a degree of clarity seldom seen or heard. Thanks for a great presentation, Nick. We are looking forward to hearing much more about your next venture.

09/25/2026

I’ve been asked “In this day and age, why is polio still a concern?”.

The answer to this is pretty simple and it’s outlined in a paper that summarizes it for those who may be wondering.

Rotary International has been an active supporter in the eradication of polio for decades.

Follow this link (https://conta.cc/3TQH0ZJ) and read up on why we still believe it is a fight worth fighting.

This year our Annual Gala event on October 30th will donate the proceeds from the banquet to the ‘End Polio Now’ fund.

Can we count on you joining us at this event?

09/24/2026

1970
A Canadian band steps up to the mic and tells the world something we hadn't quite said yet: our sound didn't need to borrow from anyone. The Guess Who's American Woman became more than a hit — it became a moment when Canadian rock found its own swagger, and the world knew our name.

Fifty-some years later, they're back. And so is that feeling.

This is one of the artists featured in our Music of Our Lives collection — because some songs don't just play in the background of a memory, they are the memory. The one playing when you got your license. The one blasting at a backyard party the summer everything felt possible.

On October 30th, we're bringing that feeling into one room for an evening none of us will want to have missed. If a single guitar riff can still take you straight back — imagine an entire night built that way.

Save the date. This one's going to hit different.

Get more details and your tickets by going to our event page.

09/24/2026

At our lunch meeting on Wednesday this week, we welcomed Rory Ring, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce.

Rory spoke passionately about the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in the CK area. As growth is of primary interest to the leadership and business leaders in our community at large, of particular interest were the ten connected conditions for competitiveness.

The presentation connected business decisions to these ten conditions. There are questions for community consideration, not claims that every condition has already been met.

The TEN CONDITIONS FOR COMPETITIVENESS:

1. Shared understanding of growth. Assess employment, productivity and household prosperity alongside environmental effects, infrastructure costs and long-term service needs.

2. Existing-business reinvestment and succession. Include retention, modernization, expansion and ownership transitions alongside the attraction of new businesses.

3. Clear investment processes. Make requirements, responsible contacts and realistic timelines understandable. Coordination is not a guarantee of approval.

4. Total cost and dependable value. Consider taxes, premises, utilities, logistics, recruitment and delays alongside productivity and service reliability.

5. Verified sites and infrastructure. Establish what land, buildings, utilities and transportation can actually support, at what cost and on what schedule.

6. Suitable capital and market opportunities. Connect commercially credible projects with appropriate expertise and financing; look beyond CK for customers and partners.

7. Productivity and innovation. Consider equipment, technology, workflow, management and employee training together, guided by an actual business need.

8. Career pathways and workforce participation. Connect young people, existing residents, newcomers and returning residents with real opportunities and good employment practices.

9. Housing, safety and quality of life. Connect workforce needs with suitable homes, transportation, childcare, health services, recreation and welcoming communities.

10. One connected economy, distinct communities. Improve access to opportunity across CK while respecting local identity, neighbouring First Nations' governance and wider regional relationships.

We are grateful to have Rory part of our community and to share his knowledge and business experience with all our members.

He is pleased to take any questions that may arise from his presentation.

09/17/2026

Rotarians are looking forward to our upcoming Annual Banquet at the Bradley Centre on October 30th. All the details are on our events page.

We celebrate "The Music of our Lives" across 4 decades. Tributes to some of the top performers will include big names like . . . .

One evening to enjoy the performances, the music and walks down memory lane.

All the proceeds from this event are donated to "End Polio Now" - Rotary's ongoing efforts to eradicate polio.

09/17/2026

A big day at our luncheon yesterday.

We inducted a new member, Julia Jacobs and look forward to her being a key part of how we develop our club in the months ahead.

Also, we heard from one of our members, Don 'Sparky' Leonard, about the Rotary International Convention and insights on the trip to Taipei, Taiwan, this past June. Sparky shared dozens of slides of the various activities that took place during the 5 day convention as well as he and Laurie Leonard, being reunited with two past exchange students who welcomed them in Taipei upon their arrival.

We had a record turn out for this luncheon and are delighted that everyone was fully engaged and joyful.

09/15/2026

There are only six weeks before the Annual Gala Banquet at the John D. Bradley Convention Centre.

For tickets: https://bit.ly/46NfQpr
Purchase your tickets as singles, couples or groups.

All are welcome.

If you want to journey through the music of some of the most life-changing artists over the decades, here's your chance to join your friends and neighbours for a fine dinner and even finer entertainment.

The evening will feature not only performances, but an online auction and special requests down memory lane.

All proceeds from this event will be donated to Rotary International - End Polio Now.

Rotary Club of Chatham Sunrise, Rotary Club of Windsor (1918), Rotary Club of Flint, Dresden Rotary Club.

In the coming days, I'll be adding the list of performers we'll be honouring at this event.

09/09/2026

Our wonderful new Rotary District 6380 District Governor Lee Halstead is here with his wife Lois to visit with our Club. It‘s always a great day when we welcome our DG to our Club and our community. Thank you for your service Lee and thank you for coming today!