Our Campaigns - Local Projects

Perth Ribfest Music Festival

“Come for the ribs, stay for the Music"

Due to COVID-19 The Rotary Club is planning a drive-thru Ribfest on August 6-7-8, 2021. Details will be posted at a later date.

Educator of the Year

Every year, The Rotary Club of Perth recognizes an outstanding teacher from within the 11 Perth Family of Schools who has been a positive role model, someone who inspires leadership skills and confidence in their students, and who has had a positive impact on the lives of his/her students. The award was created in 2002 and each spring of the year the winner is selected by a panel of three Rotarians, not ever connected with any of the Perth Family of Schools. The winner receives a framed certificate and the winner’s name and school is engraved on the Educator of the Year plaque which is displayed in the winner’s school. An article describing the achievements of the winner is submitted to the EMC/Perth Courier.

To submit a nomination please use the Educator of the Year Nomination Form. Instructions are provided in the form. You can either download the Educator of the Year print version and fill it out manually or download the Educator of the Year electronic version which is a protected MS Word version of the form and fill it out electronically (the form will automatically be saved in your downloads directory). Send the completed form to us. Our address is listed in the form. Submissions must be mailed by February 28, 2021.

Literacy Programs

Community Readers

Volunteer readers from Perth Rotary Club and partners from within the community , assist on a weekly basis in elementary classrooms in the Perth and Lanark areas. The object of the program is to improve student reading skills and foster a love of reading in all children. Whether it is working one on one with individual students or reading to the whole class, the experience is rewarding for both students and volunteers. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer reader, please fill in the form below. You will be contacted directly by the program

Books for Daycare Providers

The Club, in partnership with the Perth and District Union Library’s children’s librarian, Rachel Warren, has initiated a pilot program with 8 local daycare providers in Perth and the surrounding rural area. Approximately once a month volunteers prepare a bag containing a number of library books or one of the library’s theme boxes for each of the daycare providers. Volunteers pick up the books or theme boxes at the library, deliver them to the daycare providers and pick up the previous month’s materials. The library also sends information for both providers and parents with each delivery. The object of this program is to foster a love of books and reading in all children. If you are interested in participating in this program as a volunteer please contact any Perth Rotarian.

Rotary Books Program

The Rotary Club of Perth provides a donation for classroom books. Any teacher who is interested in participating in the program can contact Bruce Kemp padre_07@hotmail.com

This program enables kids to be active in working with their teacher to pick out books that interest them
Kids are excited that the books are current and of interest to them (Star Wars, 100 most dangerous animals, etc)
Helps teachers fulfill language part of curriculum (journals, book reports etc.) as kids want to read these books.

Summer Literacy Program

The Rotary Club of Perth has been major supporter of the Summer Literacy Program at the Perth Library. Each year, for the past several years, the club has donated $4,000.00 to this program. Students from the area who would benefit from additional reading skill development are identified by local teachers. The program is run by the Library with financial support from Rotary and others in the community.

Student Awards

For almost 15 years, The Rotary Club of Perth has presented an award to a graduating elementary school student at Stewart, Queen Elizabeth and St. John Schools. This is not an award presented to the top student or athlete, but to someone who is polite and pleasant to teachers and fellow students. He/she must demonstrate positive attitudes towards learning and school. The student must show a willingness to help the teacher and his/her peers, be trustworthy, as well as demonstrate good working habits and organizational skills.

Youth Development

The Rotary Club of Perth supports a number of initiatives promoting youth development. One of our local groups is YAK – the Youth Action Kommittee. Community youth come to the centre voluntarily creating stellar opportunities for youth engagement initiatives.

GWM Hospital

Members of The Rotary Club of Perth have, over the years, donated more than $80,000 for equipment at our local hospital. Since the amalgamation of the GWM and the Smiths Falls hospitals, now known as the Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital, Perth Rotarians recently donated $12,500 towards the $32M building project at the Smiths Falls site.

Adopt A Road

The Rotary Club of Perth was the first service club in the area to sign on with Lanark County in the Perth area to start a twice yearly road clean up. The need for this service was a result of cutbacks to municipal budgets. We usually try to have our cleanup in May and October. The Rotary Club is responsible for a one mile stretch of County Road 10 (North Street or also known as the Second Line) extending from the railroad tracks to Spence Side Road. We’re helping to keep the Town of Perth beautiful!

Carnation Sales

Every year, the Rotary Club of Perth sells Carnations at businesses throughout Perth. Your purchase will provide you with beautiful flowers and a feeling of pride that, together with Rotary, you can make a difference in someone’s life. Your purchase of Carnations will go towards Club projects, with the emphasis on literacy. We are thankful to The Flower Shop and Sweet Peas for providing the carnations.

Merrywood Camp

In 1948 Merrywood Camp, 10 km from Perth on Big Rideau Lake, was opened to handicapped children. Many years later and stronger than ever, this camp has been assisted in many ways by service clubs and various other organizations throughout Eastern Ontario. The Rotary club of Perth has been one of the major supporters of Merrywood. Our membership has donated tens of thousands of dollars and manpower hours over the years. The assistance helped to maintain and improve this extremely successful camp for children and families who would otherwise not have the opportunity to enjoy this wonderful outdoor experience.

Perth Medal

The Rotary Club of Perth was the founding organization for The Perth Medal in 1996. This award, complete with a silver medal made in Perth, a certificate and lapel pin, is proudly presented annually to a worthy recipient who has been nominated for their contribution in the community. The award was the brain child of Perth Rotarian Judge John Matheson. Matheson himself was a highly decorated veteran of WW II, a Member of Parliament, the leader of the committee which designed our Canadian flag, the instigator of the Order of Canada, of which he is a proud recipient and Perth Rotarian who coordinated the designation of the Perth Medal.

Perth & Smiths Falls Hospital

The Rotary Club of Perth made a strong commitment to the Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital for their Smiths Falls site redevelopment. The project included:

the construction of a new hospital wing and the revitalization of the entire hospital;
three new operating suites, new birthing rooms, recovery rooms, new x-ray and ambulatory care areas to improve patient care; and
better health care delivery and service to 40,000 area residents.

The $23 million project at the Smiths Falls site brought with it tremendous promise for the communities served by the Hospital. With support from government, area businesses, service clubs, and individuals, Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital have built a facility that ensures another 100 years of quality health care.

Rotary Friendship Fountains

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Rotary’s foundation in 2005, Rotary International requested that every club around the world accomplish a project in their community to further the goals and principles of Rotary. The Rotary Club of Perth chose as its project the Rotary Friendship Fountains now situated in the Perth basin for all to enjoy and see.
There are three fountains. The center one represents Perth. The one on the left, looking at the fountains from the crystal palace and to the east of the centre fountain, represents our mother/twin city, Perth, Scotland, while the one on the right or to the west represents our twinning city of Asago, Japan.

Strawberry Socials

For decades the Club has put on a Strawberry Social the early evening of 4th Thursday in June in conjunction with a Perth Citizens’ Band concert. The goal is to produce a profit of $1,000 for Camp Merrywood. Surplus berries are donated to the Camp.

Members and others pick (locally) and prepare berries beforehand that day. Cake, lemonade and ice cream are served in front of 10 Market Square opposite the town band stand in Stewart Park.

On the Saturday of the mid-July Stewart Park Festival the Club serves the same fare (buying pails of frozen strawberries from Quattrocchi’s food wholesalers) in the same locale. The goal is to raise $1,500 for Camp Merrywood. Surplus items are donated to Camp Merrywood.