Feed the Need Food Packing Event
Our club members participated in or supported the 'Feed the Need' Food packing event in Oshawa on November 1, 2025
Some 120 volunteers from six clubs packed 35,000 meals on eight 'assembly lines', of which an estimated 3,672 were packed by the assembly line staffed by members and volunteers from our club, including Past President George's widow and daughter.
In addition to giving back to the community, it was also a chance to meet or catch up with members of other clubs.
Great Pajama Project a Success!
"The Rotary Club of Ajax thanks all those who brought kids' and young adult pajamas to the main branch of the Ajax Public Library on November 8, 2025. We collected well over 100 pairs, all of which will be sent to the Durham Children's Aid Foundation 'Holiday Hope' Campaign.
The club will continue to accept gifts of new pajamas through the beginning of December 2025, please contact us at Info@ajaxrotary.org to arrange for delivery or pickup."
At SPRING CREEK GOLF CLUB
2425 9th Concession, Claremont
Another successful event and the perfect weather certainly helped!! With 40 golfers participating in the event, and others who joined us for the dinner that followed, over $7,000 was raised.
Many thanks to our organizers, event volunteers and generous sponsors without whom this event would not be possible.
Audley Road Cleanup Completed!
Thanks to our members and community volunteers who joined us on Saturday, September 27, 2025 to perform our semi annual cleanup of Audley Road in Ajax.
Ajax Public Library Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
The Rotary Club of Ajax has made a multi year commitment to the Ajax Public Library to fund in part the acquisition of a 'book vending machine' which will expand the library's ability to serve clients in South Ajax. On 17 July 2025, there was a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Ajax Community Centre where the machine is located.
Congratulations to the 2025 Student Bursary Recipients
2025 High School Bursary Dinner
On 10 July 2025, eight of this year's 14 high school bursary recipients joined club members for dinner at Parkland.
All the students gave background on themselves, including all the ways that they gave back to their schools and the community.
Here are some pictures from that event, along with a few pictures from graduation ceremonies themselves.
2025 Annual President's Dinner
Awards Ceremony
(video courtesy of Jeeva from Creative Media)
THE ROTARY CLUB OF AJAX AWARDED
DON TERRY
WITH THE HIGH HONOUR OF A PAT BAYLY AWARD
FOR OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE
Don Terry’s decades of volunteer work have enhanced the lives of families in Ajax and throughout Durham Region.
Thank You to our 2025 Ribfest Gold Sponsors
Come and see what it's all about
We meet monthly, 1st & 3rd Thursdays @ 11:45am
Parkland Retirement Centre, 2nd Floor
3 Rossland Rd W, Ajax
All are welcome!
We meet monthly, 2nd Thursday @7pm on Zoom
Click on this Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 861 5162 2579
Passcode: 115522
Meeting ID: 861 5162 2579
Passcode: 115522
The Passing of Past President
George Okurapa
We are very saddened to pass along the news that Past President George Okurapa passed away suddenly at home from a cardiac arrest on Saturday January 11th 2025.
While George had only been a club member for 4+ years he has already had a great impact on the Club and the community it serves. George was a proud Rotarian. He and Edidah always volunteered for Club activities and he frequently attended training on behalf of the Club and for his own personal development.
George was a loving and proud family man who cared about, and for, his extended family in Uganda. He was a gentle soul and a true gentleman. You never heard critical words from him and he seemed to exude positivity. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him. He has gone far too early.
It's Back... Rotary Club of Ajax Ribfest 2025
Ajax Public Library
On 19 December two employees from the Ajax Public Library joined us at our weekly meeting to thank us for our multi year commitment to help fund the purchase a book lending machine, to be located at a Community Centre in South Ajax. This is yet another example of the Rotary Club of Ajax making a difference in our community.
Donation & Time
Durham Children's Aid Foundation
The Rotary Club of Ajax is proud to donate funds to the
Durham Children's Aid Foundation in support of the Holiday Hope campaign.
The Foundation and its community partners, bring joy to families at Christmas with donations of gifts and clothing.
Pictures from Packing Food
@ Kids Against Hunger 2024
Rotary Club of Ajax Awarded Rotary Citation
Our club was recently awarded a 'Rotary Citation', which is the most significant award a Rotary club can achieve, for 2023-24.
In its accompanying email Rotary International stated that "this past year, our club demonstrated a commitment to achieve its goals, which ultimately helps strengthen Rotary and shape its future". Congratulations to all of our members who made this achievement possible.
Past President Rene Soetens - A History Story
Rene regaled club members about his relationship with Rotary, both prior to being a member and during his many years as member, providing many anecdotes about the history of the club.
Camp Maple Leaf
Marci Shea-Perry is the Executive Director of Camp Maple Leaf founded in 1955. Their focus is on children aged six to sixteen whose parents are in the military, as well as children whose groups are so small, they don’t fit into other programs: examples are children whose parents are grieving, have cancer, limb differences, short stature, facial difference and skin conditions to name a few. Children in military families have unique challenges, including long deployments of their parents, and frequent moving from one base to another making it challenging to form and maintain social connections.
Adopt a Village in Laos
Our guest speaker, Steve Rutledge, reported this has been a very busy year for ‘Adopt a Village in Laos’. Fund raising was way up, including some substantial donations, and much more activity than previous years, with more than 300K raised last year. Thousands of villages housing 60,000 people now have clean water, and for each village so supplied it is a milestone event. Steve hopes that members and the club will continue financial support of his project. He invites members to go to their website to get more information.
We Grow Food
Thanks to Delta Bingo funds the Rotary Club of Ajax donated $2,500 towards the parent organization "We Grow Food" to buy garden kits. Below is one of some 70 community gardens in the Durham region.
2024 President's Luncheon & Awards Recipients
First row right to left: Jim Hinnecke (Paul Harris Award), Ken Hurst (President's Award), Brian Edwards (Paul Harris Award), Myrna Picotte, David French
Middle row right to left: Randy Slemin (Paul Harris Award), Bruce Green (President's Award), Marsha Jones-Dooley
Back row right to left: Kevin Brown & Darryl Wilson (more below), Keica Campbell, Ron Larock (Paul Harris award), Donna Bright (President Elect), Dr. Romas Stas (more below), Rene Soetens, Dale Pratt, George Okurapa (President & Paul Harris Award)
Winner of the 2024 Rotary Certificate of Appreciation
Waste Connections of Canada (Ajax)
Back row right to left: Representing Waste Connections of Canada Kevin Brown (District Manager) & Darryl Wilson (Operations Manager)
Winner of the Pat Bayly Award
Back row, fourth from the left: Dr. Romas Stas
Rotary Club of Ajax wins two awards
At the District awards dinner and District Governor hand over in Whitby, our club was delighted to learn that The Rotary Club of Ajax was the winner of two awards namely:
(1) The Devon & Linda Biddle Annual Fund award. This award is given to clubs with the highest per capita contribution to the Rotary Foundation Annual Fund.
(2) The Bill and Delphine Patchett Polio Plus award. This award is given to clubs that have the highest per capita contribution to the Rotary Foundation Polioplus Fund.
Congratulations to the Rotary Club of Ajax!!
End of Year Social Get Together
To wrap up the Rotary fiscal year, President George and his wife Edidah graciously hosted a BBQ at his home.
Thanks for a great year George!
Service Above Self
Ajax, ON L1Z 0V1
Canada