Since Rotary began in Guelph in 1920, a focus on helping children and youth has been important to us. The pages in this section capture important parts of our history with thanks to Barb Holmes for researching and compiling it. You may be surprised to see Rotary's role in launching charities such as KidsAbility, 2nd Chance Employment, Food4Kids Guelph and the Integrated Youth Services Network (IYSN) hubs.
Today, our club has an active Children & Youth Committee that continues many traditional supports while also initiating new programs and responding to current needs. Each year, we proactively review our Committee's purpose, which is currently stated as follows:
Children and Youth Services Committee Mandate
- Supports children and youth in the community (up to age 25) in the areas of health, education, protection, social development, life enrichment and leadership development.
- Focuses on providing both funding and service.
The following sections touch on some of our club's most important history and contributions over the years, right up to our present activities. Our Rotary Club of Guelph takes pride in all these efforts.