Peace does not happen by accident. It must be pursued deliberately, built strategically, and woven intentionally into everything we do. That is the challenge I am placing before the Rotary world this year.
Rotary recognizes peacebuilding as one of our areas of focus. But I believe peace must be more than a category of work we set aside for certain projects. It must become a lens, one we choose to look through every time we plan, every time we serve, every time we ask what kind of impact we truly want to leave behind.
The Institute for Economics and Peace has identified eight Pillars of Positive Peace: well-functioning government, a sound business environment, equitable distribution of resources, acceptance of the rights of others, good relations with neighbors, free flow of information, high levels of human capital, and low levels of corruption. These pillars describe the conditions that make lasting peace possible. And when I look at them carefully, I see enormous potential for Rotary. Not because our work automatically advances peace but because it can when we are deliberate about it.
That is the key word: deliberate.
A water project does not build peace on its own. But a water project designed with the Pillars of Positive Peace in mind — one that asks how equitable access to resources strengthens community trust — can begin to lay that foundation. A vocational training program does not guarantee reconciliation. But one that intentionally brings divided communities together around shared economic opportunity can start to build it. The project does not change. The intention does.
In Colombia, Rotary's Pathways to Peace and Prosperity program shows us what this looks like in practice. Working in communities shaped by decades of armed conflict and displacement, the program combines economic empowerment with conflict resolution training and community-led reconciliation. Peace was not a hoped-for side effect. It was central to the design. That is the standard I am calling all of us to follow.
As you plan your next project, whatever the focus area, I want you to pause and ask one question: How does this create the conditions for peace? Consult the Pillars of Positive Peace. Find where your work connects. Then, make that connection intentional. Share what you discover with your club, your district, and your community. The more we talk about peace as a practice rather than a destination, the more naturally it will shape everything we do.
This is not about doing different work. It is about doing our work differently, with greater awareness, greater purpose, and a clearer vision of the world we are trying to build. Every Rotary project carries potential. Our task is to unlock it, not by chance but by choice.
August is Membership and New Club Development Month
Rotary membership in North America is declining: Membership in both Canada and the United States has fallen by about 30 percent in the past two decades. But a recent survey found that maybe Rotary simply needs to do a better job of showing prospective members that the organization is exactly what they’re looking for.
This is a significant concern for Rotary District 5370. Since 2021, the District has lost 321 members, and if the current trend continues, membership could fall below 1,100 by 2033. Rotary International becomes involved when district membership drops below 1,200, potentially leading to Clubs being reassigned to other districts. While membership is growing in Asia, Africa and India, North America and Europe continue to see flat or declining numbers. This reinforces the need for every member to play a role in attracting and retaining new members.
Membership and engagement were key topics at our August Board meeting. The Club welcomed guest Bill Forbes and approved Daniel Ayena’s membership application, while Rotary Leads has also matched Kelly Malo with our Club. The Board discussed ways to improve member attraction and retention, including encouraging new members to join a committee, providing clearer information about committee opportunities, and creating more opportunities for members to connect socially. An evening meeting option is also being explored for those unable to attend Monday noon meetings. Looking ahead, members can participate in several upcoming events, including the September 14 meeting at the Alberta Aviation Museum, the September 28 evening meeting featuring the Guatemala Eye Clinic, and the December 21 joint Christmas meeting with the Edmonton Club.
What can you do to help?
Members can help grow our Club by inviting friends, colleagues, and community members to experience Rotary. Encourage prospective members to attend a meeting or volunteer with us, share what you enjoy about Rotary.
Help new members feel welcome and involved. Most importantly, get them connected to a committee or hands-on project early—people are more likely to stay when they feel they are making a difference.
Community Service
Purolator Tackle Hunger
Our Rotary Club of Edmonton West crew was out greeting fans as they stepped off the buses for the Elks game during the annual Tackle Hunger food drive. After doing this for many years, we've become experts at smiling, waving, and convincing people to part with their money, and that carrying one less can of soup is a perfectly acceptable game-day strategy.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of Edmontonians, an amazing $19,230 and 1,900 kg of food were collected for the Edmonton Food Bank!
A huge thank you to everyone who donated, volunteered, and helped make a real difference. You proved once again that our city has a championship heart.
Grandview Extended Care
Back in 2017, our club noticed that the stairs leading up from the street to Grandview Extended Care were in pretty rough shape. They had deteriorated to the point where they were unsafe and essentially unusable.
Our club came up with a practical solution. Rotary volunteers built a new wooden staircase over the existing stairs, creating a safe and accessible route for residents, families, staff, and visitors.
Since then, this has become one of those projects that quietly demonstrates what Rotary is all about. Every couple of years, our members return to maintain the staircase, making sure it remains safe, sturdy, and looking its best.
This week, our crew is back at it again! We’ll be repainting the stairs and giving them some much-needed TLC.
It’s also a great reminder that service doesn’t always have to mean a big project or a big cheque. Sometimes it’s simply seeing something that needs to be done, coming up with a solution, and continuing to show up year after year to keep it going.
Let's Get Together
What a fun evening at D-Spot!
Sweet treats, lots of laughs, and even better company — just another reminder of what makes the Rotary Club of Edmonton West such a special group.
Thanks to Darryll for organizing and to everyone who came out and made the evening so much fun!
We’re still looking for a few more volunteers for two upcoming service opportunities! 💙 If you’re able to lend a hand, please consider signing up for or our Food Bank volunteer shift on September 15 and Go Baby Go on September 23. Both are great opportunities to get involved, have some fun, and make a difference in our community. Every extra set of hands helps, so please sign up if you’re available. We’d love to see you there! 🙌
Paul Harris Fellow
The Paul Harris Fellow is one of Rotary’s most respected forms of recognition. It honours individuals whose contributions to The Rotary Foundation help support Rotary’s humanitarian, educational, and peace-building work around the world. Recognition is achieved at each additional US$1,000 level of cumulative giving, with subsequent levels recognized as Multiple Paul Harris Fellows.
Congratulations to our own Ken Brander on achieving his Paul Harris Fellow +5! 🎉
This represents a tremendous commitment to The Rotary Foundation and to Rotary’s mission of Service Above Self. Thank you, Ken, for your generosity and continued support of Rotary’s work locally and around the world. Congratulations on this wonderful achievement!
Another Successful Golf Tournament! ⛳
Our annual golf tournament was another great success this year, and it truly was a team effort!
A huge thank you to Spencer for his hard work filling the tournament with sponsors and golfers, and to Lorne for organizing all of the auction items. Thank you as well to the entire golf committee for the countless hours of work that went into preparing for the event, and to all of our wonderful volunteers who helped make the day memorable for everyone. We simply couldn’t put this tournament on without the teamwork and dedication of so many members.
A special thanks to Rob for putting together the tentative financial numbers. The preliminary results show that we raised just under $30,000 in net funds—approximately $2,400 more than last year! 🎉
There were some interesting changes in the numbers this year. Our expenses were considerably lower, largely due to reduced costs for prizes and swag, although this was offset somewhat by increased golf and hospitality costs. On the revenue side, registration revenue was up, while auction proceeds were a little lower, perhaps reflecting the absence of a larger live auction item such as a golf holiday.
Overall, it was another fantastic result for our club and an event we can all be proud of. Thank you to everyone who contributed their time, energy, connections and enthusiasm to making it happen. This is a great example of what we can accomplish when we work together. 🙌⛳
The tentative results, including a comparison with last year’s tournament, are attached for those interested in seeing the details.
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Bruce Hobin
August 8
Bert Andrews
August 16
Spencer Mueller
September 10
Sherry Holmes
September 11
Bev Yee
September 19
Duart Berg
September 21
Myrna Findt
September 26
Spouse/Partner Birthdays
Kate Hobin
September 4
Anniversaries
Spencer Mueller
Annie
August 5
Joseph Lizotte
Nancy
August 10
Jackie Hobal
Wayne Hobal
August 19
Join Date
Bev Yee
August 14, 2023
3 years
Anne Mueller
August 16, 2010
16 years
Vic Rudkowski
September 15, 2014
12 years
Duart Berg
September 16, 2013
13 years
The 5 Way Test!
We all know and love the Four-Way Test ❤️, but there’s another question we should be asking ourselves: “Is it fun?” 😄
Rotary is about service, but it should also be about enjoying the people we serve with, making memories, sharing some laughs, and having a good time along the way. 🤝🎉 If what we’re doing starts to feel like a chore, maybe it’s time to ask whether there’s a better—and more enjoyable—way to do it.
Service is important, but so are fellowship and fun! ❤️🙌 If we want to keep our members engaged, attract new members, and enjoy our Rotary journey, let’s make sure we’re having some fun along the way! 🎉😄
Our Rotary Club of Edmonton West crew was out greeting fans as they stepped off the buses for the Elks game during the annual Tackle Hunger food drive. After doing this for many years, we've become experts at smiling, waving, and convincing people to part with their money, and that carrying one less can of soup is a perfectly acceptable game-day strategy. 
