The Rotary Club of Fernie held their first business meeting for 2026 on January 7. In addition to regular business items, the club took time to reflect and celebrate the club’s impact and successes of 2025.

The Fernie community, the Elk Valley, and two international projects were the recipients of the club’s efforts in 2025, with efforts including:

• Sold Out 2025 Griz Pin fundraiser, a 30+ year Rotary initiative.
• Feast For A Cause, the second annual, sold out, long table event fundraising event featuring local chefs. Scheduled for May 2, 2026!
• Canada Day celebration in downtown Fernie, a new collaborative effort with the Lions Club, 3300 Club, Legion, Elks Lodge, City of Fernie, and Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it First Nations.
• 50/50 ticket sales, at the Wednesday Night Socials and the Elk Valley Cruisers Show and Shine event – fuelling our annual scholarship program.
• Poppy sales supporting the Legion’s Remembrance Day ceremony.
• Salvation Army annual Food Drive and Kettle Campaign.
• Hosting of the 13th Annual Seniors’ Holiday Lunch.
• Financial support of a village clean water project in Peru.
• Financial support of Rotary International’s polio vaccine program and the global eradication of polio.

Due to a variety of successful fundraising efforts, The Rotary Club of Fernie put over $45,000 back into our community, supporting local organizations that included, Fernie’s Elk Valley Hospital, Cycling Without Age, Fernie and District Arts Council, Salvation Army Adopt a Family Program, Chamber of Commerce Griz Days and funded seven Elk Valley high school scholarships.

We are grateful for the many volunteers and community partners who supported the Fernie Rotary Club’s efforts and look forward to furthering our impact in 2026.

Want to learn more about Fernie Rotary, go to www.fernierotary.org

Lead image: Rotarian Cindy Pearson busy selling Griz Pins during the 2025 Griz Days festivities in Fernie. e-KNOW file photo

Rotary Club of Fernie

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