Moose Jaw Rotary Club Continuing to Serve in Era of COVID-19

The Rotary Club of Moose Jaw has found itself in much the same situation as many other service organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Just what do you do when you’re not allowed to gather for meetings, hold mass fundraisers or perform any of the usual activities you do as a club - especially when it comes to the bi-weekly meetings that feature high-profile speakers from the community? The answer to the first part is also the same as it is for everyone else: meetings through the wildly popular Zoom app, only on a monthly basis compared to the past. The real difficulty has come in losing their fundraisers, which in the long-run could have an impact on Rotary’s myriad donations to local groups and charitable organizations.

The Rotary Club of Moose Jaw has served pancake breakfast at the Moose Jawg for years, but will see that fundraising opportunity fall by the wayside this year. (Facebook photo) One of their largest events hapSome future plans will fall into pens every Canada Day during new hands, as Rece Allen will the Moose Jawg road race, where take over as president of the club the Rotarians host a pancake on July 1. breakfast that draws plenty of inFor his part, Allen is plenty terest from hungry competitors. aware of the work the club will That race has been cancelled. have ahead of it when he takes Then there’s the Charity Pool over. Challenge at Dooly’s in the fall For more information on the and the Christmas Carol Festival Rotary Club of Moose Jaw visit in December, with questions as their homepage at portal.clubrunto whether either will go ahead. ner.ca/1005.

Going Online: Friendly City Optimist Club Staying Active

Even in times like these, when group meetings are impossible and the COVID-19 pandemic has had an effect on society in general, the Friendly City Optimist Club of Moose Jaw just finds a way to keep on keeping on. Regular meetings are being held; donations are being made, the usual stuff. But there are some major differences – and a very large hole in their future plans. One change is how those meetings are taking place. Like almost everyone holding group gatherings these days, the Optimist Club is meeting through the Zoom app, offering their members a chance to meet ‘face to face,’ to a certain extent. What hasn’t change is their dedication to the community and their charitable acts. That includes a recent donation to the Moose Jaw and District Food Bank as well as a handful of scholarships that are

Members of the Friendly City Optimist Club of Moose Jaw during their most recent Zoom meeting.

donated to local high schools on an annual basis. While the Optimists have a decent nest egg to draw from, the club is still being careful in these difficult times, most likely opting to focus on donations to organizations in need in the future. That’s because like every other organization that relies on fundraisers, they find themselves with a bit of a hole in their schedule. Well known for hosting barbecues at major events during the spring and summer, the Optimist Club now finds itself with a whole slate of cancelled events instead of planning delicious feasts. Usually on July 1, they hold a barbecue in the park, a barbecue out at 15 Wing during the car show, and one at the WDM, but those are all cancelled for this summer. The plan going forward will be to simply maintain the status quo and hope things change for the positive in the near future. And yes, the club is optimistic that will happen. Visit them on Facebook at facebook.com/AMSNW13105/.