The Rotary Club of Nanaimo Oceanside has donated over $850,000 to projects and groups in our community.
Together we can make a difference.
Local Projects
- VIU library, special collections room
- Haven House
- Hospice House
- Nanaimo Ladysmith schools foundation – student support fund(formerly Principal’s chequebook), and community school breakfast & lunch programs
- Military Museum, Rotary room
- VIU endowment funds – in honour of Dianne Caillet, Diane Goldsbury and Alex Marriott. Also for support of VI Raiders and VIU foundation
Legacy Projects
- The Rotary Field house on 3rd street is a Community building providing safe and healthy public facilities to users of the area sporting fields. Our most recent legacy-project, the Field house provides washroom and change room facilities, a concession, and a community multi-purpose room large enough to host meetings, celebrations, workshops and other events. Primarily, the facility is to be used by youth and youth sport teams, with it’s multi-purpose room accessible by the general community.
- 2013 our Rotary club sponsored Alex Dawley as Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholar for District 5020, for this prestigious scholarship Alex received $15,000 from the District and upon being accepted to University of Sussex in Brighton, UK she applied for and was granted a further $15,000. When Alex has completed her studies in Brighton, she may request sponsorship to obtain Rotary Peace Fellowship and study in 1 of only 6 universities in the world. Since completing her degree she has relocated to Vancouver to work at Mosaic, a nonprofit and one of the largest resettlement organizations in Canada. Alex holds the position of Senior Manager Refugee Resettlement and Integration. She will help change the world.
Funds Allocation:
Below is a list of many of the programs that we have supported totaling over $350,000.
| 1st Rutherford Beavers/Cubs Addition Mal U endowment – – Endowment for VI Raiders player Addition Mal U endowment – In honor of Dianne Caillet ALS Foundation Annual Xmas Toy Run Breast Cancer Research Foundation – In honor of Dianne Caillet Breast Cancer Research Foundation – In memory of Diane Goldsbury Child Development Center Empowering Hands – Raise a Reader Haven House Hidden Hero’s Hospital Foundation Palliative Care Unit Island Christian Care Society John Barsby Changes Program John Barsby – Breakfast Program Junvenile Diabetes Research Kids Help Phone Loaves & Fishes Malaspina University “keys to success” Malaspina University Library – Special Collections Room | Malaspina University-College – Foundation Endowment Misc School Programs Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation Nanaimo ADDICTION foundation Nanaimo Community Hospice Nanaimo Ladysmith Schools Foundation “Principals Cheque Book” Nanaimo Schools Financial Aid Society Bursary Nanaimo Unique Kids Organization Nanaimo Women’s Resource Society Nanaimo Young Professionals (in Blair McKinnon’s memory) Pacific Sport RCMP D.R.I.V.E program Rotary Club of Winnipeg – Rotary Centennial Project Rotary Field House Rotary International Youth Exchange programs Salvation Army Shelterbox Canada Tour de Rock VI Raiders Zajac Ranch for Disabled Children |
Oceanside Rotary has contributed over $20,000 to international programs.
Supported projects:
- Rotary Field House – A sports clubhouse for teams and community groups to gather.
- Rotary Playing Field – sport fields for community teams use
- Malaspina University College Library Legacy Fund – $20,000 donation
- John Barsby High School lunch program – annual donation to cover the cost of lunches for all children attending school
- Clean Water project in Zimbabwe, Africa
- School Sponsorship in Zimbabwe – Africa to purchase school supplies and cover costs for attending school, tuitions.
- Hurricane Relief Effort – Funding provided to Rotary Club in South America
- Roto Plast – funding surgery for cleft palates
- Breast Cancer Research
- Inoculations for the eradication of polio throughout South America
- Prenatal Care Training for nursing students in South America
- Endowment Fund for Malaspina University College students
- Scholarship for a local apprenticeship at Malaspina University College
- Financial donations to the Nanaimo Child Development Centre
- Participation in funding the construction of the Northfield Road Rest Area
- Annual sponsorship of Youth Exchange Students studying abroad for one year sending four to five students out and receiving and hosting 4 students each year.
- Supporting various charities and food banks within the community
International Projects and Visits
- Through the 5 club alliance of International funding and the Mid Island International Group ( MIG) involvement our club has contributed to projects all over the world, latrines and wash station in Mexico, chicken farms in Peru, wells in Kenya, community gardens project in India, stoves in Guatemala, Dengue Fever prevention program in Belize, women’s economic empowerment in Nicaragua, these are only a few.
- Our club recently took the lead position in acquiring funding for Malaria nets and training in Sunyani Ghana, club members Bev Hilton and Christine Blouin were part of a Rotary trip May 2013. We have been involved in several projects in Ghana.
- Annual contributions to Shelterbox for the distributions of Shelterbox tents during times of disaster
INTERNATIONAL SERVICE
International Service volunteers work to expand the Rotary’s humanitarian work around the world. This important service promotes understanding and peace, and sponsors projects in Rotary’s 7 areas of focus. Club’s complete projects in other countries and works with international partners to support projects in their communities.
Our club & International Service
Nanaimo Oceanside has been a member of the Mid Island Community Service Group (MIG) for more than 10 years. In conjunction with the 24 clubs on Vancouver Island involved we have helped fund both District Community Grant projects and Global Grant projects around the world.
On average, 10 projects a year are completed by the group, with an approximate total value of $ 100,000. per year. MIG has surpassed $2million in total projects.
Projects focus on:
Basic education & literacy
Disease prevention
Water & Sanitation
Maternal & Child health
Economic development
Saving the environment
Peace & conflict resolution
Our projects
Since 2013 we have been involved in hands on projects in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana. Our projects involved refurbishing schools, implementing water systems and hand washing protocols, providing urgently needed medical equipment to seven hospitals, COVID supplies and equipping a new Maternity ward. With the assistance of the Rotary clubs in Sunyani these projects have changed and saved thousands of lives.
Our International Service Chair, Bev Hilton has travelled to Ghana 4 times and has been active in completion of these projects.
As of July 2021, Project 4 is underway for latrines and security fence for Nwawasua school a rural school, enrolment of 536 students, 28 teachers and 3 latrines, 20+ years old. The Empowerment of Girls is key in this project, the new latrines will provide ample space and safety for the adolescent girls when experiencing their periods. The security fence will provide all the students a safe and secure learning location, the girls can now continue their education, instead of dropping out of school once they reach adolescence.
