Members and friends of the Rotary Club of Calgary West enjoyed an engaging visit to Fuse 33 Makerspace on Friday, January 9, 2026. Hosted by Co-founder MariaElena Hoover, the tour provided insight into Fuse 33’s mission, facilities, and role in supporting creativity, innovation, and community learning. The visit highlighted the positive impact makerspaces have on entrepreneurship and community development.
High school students are invited to participate in the 2026 Four-Way Test Speech Competition, an opportunity to explore ethics, decision-making, and personal values using Rotary’s Four-Way Test. Students will deliver a 3–5 minute live presentation, sharing how the Four-Way Test applies to real-life situations through their own experiences and perspectives.
The competition is open to Grade 10–12 students, with cash prizes awarded to the top three presentations. Submissions are reviewed for depth of understanding, originality, and clarity, with finalists presenting in person before Rotary Club judges.
VIEW COMPETITION DETAILS
District Conference 2026 - Red Deer
May 01, 2026 7:00 p.m. - May 03, 2026 2:30 p.m.
This year's conference promises to be a dynamic weekend with Rotarians and Friends coming together to Celebrate and "Unite for Good"!
Experience the Calgary Stampede Parade in Style!
Join us for our annual Stampede Parade Seating with Breakfast
on Friday, July 3, 2026 | 7:00 AM
Enjoy:
🍽️ Hearty breakfast – pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, baked beans & fried potatoes
☕ Orange juice, coffee & water
🎉 Reserved parade seating on the North side of 9th Ave (between 6th & 8th Street)
📍 Breakfast Location: 738 9th Ave SW
🎟️ $75.00 (plus Eventbrite fees & GST)
Our Club kicked off its 2026 fundraising year with a successful Bingo event at the non-smoking Five Star Bingo Hall. This first-time venue continued our tradition of meaningful fundraising that supports our Club’s initiatives, while also providing a great opportunity for fellowship among members.
The Rotary Club of Calgary West welcomed 2026 with a well-attended New Year’s Day gathering at Sandy Beach Park. Members, families, and friends enjoyed coffee, hot chocolate, snacks, and plenty of fellowship. A heartfelt thank you to Barbie and David Hames and the Social Committee for organizing a warm and enjoyable way to start the year together.
The Rotary Club of Calgary West has committed $10,000 CAD to the Nepal Orphanage Equipment Project in partnership with Child Haven International, supporting 100 children at the Kathmandu Home in Nepal. Funded through a $7,500 District Community Development Grant and a $2,500 club contribution, the project strengthens education, nutrition, and vocational skills training. Enhancements include a new E-Library, a peanut butter grinder to improve nutrition and reduce costs, and expanded tailoring training with electric sewing machines and a full-year trainer. The funds have been received, and the project is now underway.
The Rotary Club of Calgary West celebrated its annual Christmas Brunch on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at the Pinebrook Golf and Country Club. Organized by the Social Committee—Linda Anderson, Barbie Hames, Debbie McMillan, and Philippa Gear—the festive event featured great food, lively fellowship, and a fun interactive gift-box game that kept everyone engaged. A special highlight was a beautiful Christmas carol performed in a native language by Club member Elizabeth Dop and her friend Marta, making the morning a warm and memorable start to the holiday season.
In January 2023, the Rotary Club of Calgary West partnered with the Rise to Shine Education Foundation in Kenya to help transform the futures of bright, vulnerable youth in the Lake Region of Kenya. Guided by Club Champion Jenny Yu, the project provides full four-year high school scholarships—including tuition, boarding, uniforms, books, and transportation—to students who would otherwise be unable to continue their education.
The club currently supports three students: Melvin , Fredrick , and Gloria. Two began in 2023, and one joined in 2024. Each semester, they share academic updates, allowing our club to follow their progress and celebrate their achievements. Last year, our Interact Club proudly contributed $350 toward the Rise to Shine Project, demonstrating the commitment of young Rotarians to global education and service.
More than a scholarship, Rise to Shine creates a powerful ripple effect: many graduates continue to college or university, secure employment, and eventually sponsor another student in need. Through this sustainable model, Calgary West Rotary is helping build stronger families and healthier communities—one student at a time.
On November 2, 2025, the Rotary Club of Calgary West participated in its 11th annual volunteer shift with Feed the Hungry from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., led by Steve Strang. Club members, partners and guests joined in a full day of service to support Feed the Hungry’s weekly Sunday meal program — helping to prepare, serve and clean-up for the many Calgarians in need of food and community. This work aligns with our Club’s mission to serve with dignity, respect and commitment.
On Oct 31, 2025, the Rotary Club of Calgary West visited the Children’s Cottage Society from 10:00–11:30 a.m. Club members and guests were divided into two groups and toured the facility, guided by Rae Fehr (Director of Development) and Lisa Congo (Director of Crisis Support Programs). The visit provided insight into CCS’s mission to support children and families through crisis, early-years programming, and family supports — aligning closely with our Club’s values of service and community support.
On October 9, 2025, Rotary Club of Calgary West members Chris Ritter, Chris Estrella, and Garfield and Cheryl Ganong attended the Children’s Cottage Society’s “Cocktails for the Cottage” event. The group toured the facility with Paula Bannerman, promoted the Select, Sip & Savor Wine Raffle with Rae Fehr, and shared raffle QR code cards with guests — a great evening of fellowship and community partnership.
On October 3, 2025, Calgary West Rotarians, visiting Rotary presidents, and Cam Heke, Vice President of Stakeholder and Community Engagement at Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta, gathered at ATCO’s Blue Flame Kitchen for coffee and discussion on affordable housing before touring a Viva modular home with Matt Vermunt, ATCO’s Director of Residential Development.
The Rotary Club of Calgary West held its Annual Golf Championship on September 24, 2025, at Wintergreen Golf Course. Ten Rotarians participated. Dan Doherty won Low Gross (90), and Steve Strang won Low Net (75). Following the game, members enjoyed a clubhouse meal where trophies were presented. Over the 2025 golf season, members played 13 rounds across 10 different courses, wrapping up another season of fun, fellowship, and friendly competition.
The Rotary Club of Calgary West visited Kingdom Coffee on Friday, September 12, 2025. Owners Jesse and Steph Singleton shared their inspiring story, led a tour of their roastery, and highlighted how their business integrates charitable work into its mission. The visit was both informative and uplifting, offering members a unique look at how values-driven entrepreneurship can create meaningful community impact.
Our Causes
The Calgary, Centennial, Chinook, East, North, Heritage Park, West and Fish Creek Rotary Clubs have initiated a "one door" application for Rotary support in time, talent and treasure. By applying once, your request for support will be shared with all eight participating clubs. Please click the logo to the left to submit an application.
Chris Ritter
I am proud to be the President of the Rotary Club of Calgary West. I joined Rotary over 10 years ago and over that time have come to enjoy great fellowship, meaningful service and being part of an organization that serves communities locally and abroad.
We have a great club with a diversity of members from different backgrounds, cultures and beliefs. We are brought together based on a few simple ideas, Service above Self and we are People of Action. This is sometimes easier said than done, so my hope is that our club will continue to focus on these and make it a priority to focus on serving our community.
There are three areas that based on discussion with the membership that I am hoping that we can continue towards working on.
- Connections: Have fun, build our friendships and relationships.
- Meaningful Service: Let’s continue to serve our community but also grow in areas that fit with our principals and priorities. Be a Club Champion and reach out to our membership for service opportunities.
- Personal Growth and Engagement: Try something new, involve others, take a risk and look for areas to serve.
I want to encourage each and every member and those who may want to join us as a new member to continue to grow in the area of serving others and helping Rotary to continue to be an organization that strives to make the world and our community a better place for all people.
Chris Ritter
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