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The Rotary Club of Dryden
The Rotary Club of Dryden is the only Rotary Club in the City of Dryden, Ontario. Dryden is at the mid-point between Thunder Bay and Winnipeg in Northwestern Ontario. The closest American State to the South is Minnesota. It is in the area of Ontario which is in the Central Time zone.

Rotary International is divided into 535 Districts. Dryden Rotary is one of forty-five clubs in District 5550 which includes Northwestern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. It is the club with the most women in the District as they make up 50% per cent of the sixty-two members as of May 2019.

History
The Rotary Club of Dryden received its charter in 1942 with Alfred Pitt as its first President. In its seventy-seven year history, the club has never had a member repeat as president. One member, Clare Thompson, during 1996-97 has been Governor of District 5550.

Presidents by Year
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki_-_Book_Dryden_Rotary_Club_Presidents.jpg|Archive book listing with photos of all Rotary Club of Dryden Presidents

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Mission and Achievements
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Its current mission statement, “The Rotary Club of Dryden is a network of inspired individuals who translate their passion for relevant social causes into actions which improve the quality of life in the Dryden area and selected communities worldwide” is a good reflection of the dynamism which has driven the success of this club over many years.

During its history, it is renowned for the contributions made to improve the service provided by the Dryden Regional Health Centre, a process that continues to this day. Many fundraising activities such a Snow-a-Rama, Skate-a-Thon, Chuck Wagon Hotdog Stand, and Turkey Shoot have come and gone. For the past fifteen years, CKDR the local radio station broadcasts Dryden Rotary Radio Bingo throughout Northwestern Ontario. The Club nets about $150,000 annually, the biggest single fundraising activity of any club in the District. Dryden Rotary does additional fundraising with an Online Auction, a project called Dryden Blooms which assists in beautifying the Commercial areas of the city each summer, a Hazardous Waste Day, and bartending which collectively bring in other $25,000.

Over the years Dryden Rotary has made a special effort to serve the youth of the area. They annually provide scholarships to graduating high school students not only in Dryden but at regional high schools in Red Lake, Sioux Lookout and Ignace in the amount of $12,000 annually. Dryden students take part in such International and District activities as Rotary Youth Exchange, MUNA (Model United Nations Assembly), and each of Adventures in Human Rights , Technology , and Agriculture. Locally, the Club sponsors public speaking and piano competitions at the Elementary school level.

The club is also responsible for creating Rotary Park an athletic complex which includes a Skateboard Park, five soccer fields and a Soccer clubhouse.

Internationally, The Rotary Club of Dryden supports two literacy projects. The Ripple Effect program in rural Guatemala repairs schools and provides clean water and washroom facilities. The Mothers of Intention program, run by a Canadian NGO, The Amarok Society, educate illiterate “Mothers” living in urban slums in Bangladesh to read, write and do mathematics who then must teach five children. They also contribute annual dollars to the ShelterBox program an International NGO program which provides emergency shelter after national disasters or areas where refugees flee war or persecution.

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Members as Community Leaders
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A significant characteristic of the Dryden Rotary Club is the participation of its members in community affairs. Dryden Rotarians have served as members of Dryden City Council, Dryden District Chamber of Commerce, Dryden Hospital Board, the legacy Dryden Board of Education and the current Keewatin-Patricia District School Board and both the legacy Dryden Catholic Separate School Board and the current Northwest Catholic District School Board as well as many other boards and foundations. In 2019 four Rotarians Norm Bush, John Carlucci, Dave McKay and Shayne MacKinnon are members of The City of Dryden's Municipal Council and one member, Peter Marshall is a trustee on the Northwest Catholic District School Board.

They have served on the Library Board, provincial Agricultural Tribunals, the Dryden Agricultural Society, Dryden Athletic and Recreation Commission, Dryden Parks Board, Dryden Planning Commission, Dryden Economic Development Committee, Dryden Airport Commission and Airport Marketing Committee as well as other regional and municipal boards and associations.

Rotary Club members have served on such committees as the Chamber of Commerce responsible for obtaining Dryden's first covered Arena, its Golf and Country Club and its Indoor Swimming Pool and Sports Complex. Some of its members were also part of the committee which obtained funds for and engineered, with the co¬operation of the Federal and Ontario governments, the construction in Dryden of Patricia Gardens, one of the province's first minimal-care homes for seniors of the area.

In short, wherever worthwhile community projects have been or are underway, members of the Dryden Rotary Club are willing to share in the initiation, support and maintenance of such projects and enterprises.