A Night of Global Connections, Personal Growth & New Beginnings!

Our Rotary meeting  in October was extra special as we celebrated two incredible exchange student journeys and welcomed a new member to our Rotary family!

Welcome back, Clara! After an unforgettable exchange year in Burgos, Spain, Clara shared stories of cultural discoveries, amazing food, new friendships, rugby, horseback riding, and travelling to 10 countries across Europe! One of her most memorable experiences was seeing Barcelona’s magnificent Sagrada Família in person. Her year was filled with adventure, personal growth, and discovering more about herself.

Meet Maiko! Arriving in August from La Pampa, Argentina, Maiko is spending the year experiencing life in Canada while attending high school. He shared a glimpse into Argentine culture, from traditional foods like empanadas and milanesas to tango, gaucho traditions, family card games, and a love of football! A sports enthusiast who enjoys swimming and soccer, Maiko is making the most of this exciting international adventure.

A special connection between our two exchange students? Both Clara and Maiko have a twin! For both of them, their Rotary exchange has been an opportunity to step out on their own, discover their independence, and explore who they are as individuals. Sometimes, finding yourself means travelling halfway around the world!

Rotary Youth Exchange is about so much more than visiting another country. It’s about building confidence, embracing new cultures, forming lifelong friendships, and discovering just how much the world has to offer.

And one more reason to celebrate - welcome, Carm! Carm was officially inducted as a Rotarian last night, and we are delighted to welcome her to our Rotary family!

Three wonderful reasons to celebrate, one fantastic evening of fellowship, and so many reminders of what makes Rotary special.

The Rotary Club of St. Catharines Lakeshore was proud to celebrate six outstanding young people at our annual Youth Dinner, recognizing their accomplishments, leadership and commitment to service.

This year we recognized:

• Jack Chapman – Governor Simcoe Secondary School, who represented our community at Rotary’s Adventures in Citizenship program in Ottawa.
• Luca Staszko – Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School and Kayla Amaefule – St. Francis Catholic Secondary School, who participated in Junior RYLA, Rotary’s youth leadership development program.
• Tori Holman – Governor Simcoe Secondary School, Gabrielle Bilodeau – St. Francis Catholic Secondary School and Juan David Lozano – Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School, recipients of our Service Above Self Scholarships.

The evening gave our members an opportunity to hear about their experiences, celebrate their achievements and learn more about the goals and aspirations of these impressive young people.

Supporting youth is an important part of Rotary. Through scholarships, leadership programs and opportunities such as Adventures in Citizenship, we help young people build confidence, develop leadership skills and discover the difference they can make in their communities.

Congratulations to Jack, Luca, Kayla, Tori, Gabrielle and Juan David. We look forward to seeing where your journeys take you!

Service Above Self starts at any age.

Rebecca’s Rotary journey is a true inspiring leader story - from participant in RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) to President of Niagara Rotaract, District Rotaract Chair, active RYLA volunteer, and now serving as our District Alumni Chair! presented to our club on the e-clubs

Curious what is Rotary?

Rotary Club new projects at Charles Ansell Park

At the gateway to the Great Lakes, where thousands of visitors from around the world stop each year to watch ships navigate Lock 1 of the Welland Canal, the Rotary Club of St. Catharines Lakeshore has added two lasting symbols of community service, a Peace Pole and a new water filling station.

On Friday, July 24, under beautiful summer skies, a large gathering of community members, civic leaders, and Rotarians came together at Charles Ansell Park to celebrate the unveiling of these two meaningful projects. Together, they reflect Rotary's commitment to environmental stewardship, peace, and creating lasting improvements for the community.

Peace Pole and Water Bottle Filling Station to be unveiled at Charles Ansell Park

The Rotary Club of St. Catharines Lakeshore is proud to announce the completion of two new community projects at Charles Ansell Park that will benefit residents and visitors for years to come.

Working in partnership with the City of St. Catharines and with funding through a District 7090 Foundation District Grant, the club has installed a May Peace Prevail on Earth Peace Pole and a public water bottle filling station.

EDify Niagara Brings Educational Psychology Services to St. Catharines

The Rotary Club of St. Catharines Lakeshore was pleased to welcome Chris Brown, M.Ed., Psychologist, as our guest speaker.

Chris, founder of EDify Multidisciplinary Services, shared how his team works with children, youth, adults, families, and schools to identify learning challenges and develop individualized plans that help people succeed.

July 8, 2026

Our guest speaker was AmandaBraet from Birchway Niagara, who shared the important work her organization is doing to support women, children, and families experiencing intimate partner violence.

Birchway Niagara's mission is built around three key principles:

• Harm reduction
• Protecting and empowering women
• Being an ally against abuse

Food for Kids delivers 506 meals in St Catharines to hungry children each weekend. They are 1/3 of the way to their goal. Amber recognized the work our club does when we fill 500+ bags per session. She is looking for people to deliver the bagged food.

Pam Sharp came to us from Niagara Children’s Centre. Niagara Children Centre - Home .We can be proud that this is an organisation founded by Rotary Clubs 60 years ago. It is one of 21 such centres that serve children up to age 18 (or 21 if in school). Facts: CARF certified, 16.2 million budget, 160 employees, physicians on site, therapy pool, staff that listen to gain understanding. Families can register themselves or be referred by a physician.