Anne Kell has had a unique year as president of the Rotary Club of Innisfil.
The first half of her term in office was filled with the usual community outreach, as the club held fundraisers and participated in community events.
But the second half saw the arrival of COVID-19, declaration of the pandemic, and the announcement of emergency closures and bans on gatherings.
From planning a full roster of events that included the Club’s 10th anniversary celebration and a community tree planting, Kell suddenly had to find a way to keep members together and engaged, without physical meetings.
Her solution: ZOOM virtual meetings, with members signing in for an online video chat at 8 a.m. on Wednesday mornings, to keep in touch, and hear a variety of guest speakers.
June 24 marked the end of Kell’s term as president, and the Rotary Club Change-Over meeting was held on ZOOM as well.
Among those signing in were many of the club’s past presidents, as well as special guests, District 7010 Governor Bill Hagborg and Assistant District Governor Steve Meadly.
“It’s certainly a great way to stay connected,” said Hagborg, telling Kell, “Your club exemplifies what so many of our clubs have done (during the pandemic) – stepped up.”
The Innisfil Rotary Club has partnered with the Innisfil Food Bank, Lioness Club and Sandycove Acres to provide free delivery of groceries to seniors and shut-ins, during the pandemic, and successfully applied for a $1000 District Grant.
The local club parlayed the money into a donation of $1,500 in breakfast supplies for the Innisfil food bank, through a partnership with the local owner of Foodland.
Kell provided a summary of the activities undertaken by the club under her watch – starting with last year’s July 1 Canada Day Parade at Sandycove Acres, where the Rotary Candyland Express Train was part of the parade.
The Beer for a Year Rotary fundraiser raised $7,000 for the Rizzardo Health & Wellness Centre; a Harvest Dinner held at the Lakeshore ideaLAB & Library, at which “practically everything was donated,” raised another $6,500 for the community.
The Rotary Club partnered with the Innisfil Beach Cruisers Car club for a year-end car show at the KOA Camp Grounds near Cookstown – leading to a $2,000 donation from the Cruisers.
There was the annual Walk for Polio, in October; a Remembrance Day wreath-laying; participation in the District Conference that saw Past President of Innisfil Rotary, Grace Doiron recognized as an “Outstanding Rotarian;” an ‘Apple Dumpling Adventure’ Grade 2 literacy project in local schools, and a Gingerbread House contest in November.
Rotarians sold Ca$h Calendars, raising money for KOA Care Camps for kids with cancer, and for the Rizzardo Centre.
They participated in Santa Claus parades in Alcona and Cookstown, and sent the Rotary Train around the streets of Sandycove Acres, collecting 2 tonnes of food and over $3,000 in cash for the food bank from generous residents.
Honey Basket sales, packing food boxes at the Innisfil Community Church, a Quiet Santa for children on the Autism Disorder spectrum, a “Cereal Challenge” for the food bank – “You can see we had a pretty busy first half of the year,” Kell said.
“And then along came COVID, and turned our world around.”
Thanks to ZOOM, the club has scarcely missed a beat, but most events are now “on hold,” she said.
The tenth anniversary celebration has been rescheduled for next June, as has the community tree planting.
A giant garage sale might be able to take place later in the year, if COVID-19 restrictions are eased again, but instead of its first-ever Car Draw, the club is now looking into an online 50/50 draw as a fundraiser.
“This really is an awesome club,” Kell said. Despite the restrictions and limitations, it actually added six new members over the year.
Kell was thanked for her service to Rotary, and to the community, as she completed her term as President.
Jason Reynar, a past president, made her blush by comparing her to Mother Teresa – a “quiet, humble, tireless, relentless champion for our community.”
Reynar noted, “The work is never done, but you never hear her moan.” He called her a community leader, who will continue to play a role both in the community and in the club.
Immediate Past President Grace Doiron described Kell as the embodiment of the Rotary principle of ‘Service above Self’ – outside of Rotary, chairing various committees, supporting Sleeping Children Around the World, assisting the library, “always helping the poor in the community and the poorest of the poor internationally” through mission trips.
As part of the Change-Over, Kell was presented with her Past President pin and jacket, and a “token of appreciation” from the club – with her husband Larry doing the honours, as others watched on Zoom.
Anne Smith will become the club’s new president on July 8.
“You are such a strong role model, you and Grace before you,” Smith told Kell, acknowledging that she has big shoes to fill. “I look forward to looking to you for guidance and advice.”
There were more comments and more thanks, but Anne Kell had the last word.
“I really appreciate everything everyone said this morning, and I really appreciate this club,” she said. “Thank you for the opportunity to be president.”
