(rdnewsNOW/Ian Gustafson)

By Ian Gustafson

Non-profit organizations

Fourth annual Red Deer Service Club Week returns

Sep 9, 2025 | 9:49 AM

The fourth annual Service Club Week kicked off in Red Deer Monday, marking the beginning of a yearly tradition where Red Deer’s three Rotary clubs, as well as the Optimist and Kinsmen clubs, come together to help non-profit organizations that serve the community.

The campaign officially began after Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston delivered a proclamation in front of city hall on Monday afternoon.

Johnston said every year this day means a lot to him both personally and professionally.

“I’ve been a Rotarian since 1996 and as a mayor, I so appreciate the leverage of volunteer work in building a community. I remember back when I first joined Rotary, I had a Rotarian tell me, you will soon see the power of Rotary in the community, meaning the power to change things and accomplish things, but that’s just not Rotary’s power,” Johnston said. “That’s the power of every service organization that comes and wants to build their communities, youth, literacy, shelter, and all of those things that communities depend on.”

Each service club involved selected a non-profit organization to receive $2,000 and up to 15 volunteers to help in a project of their choice.

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The Rotary Club of Red Deer will help the Red Deer Christmas Bureau in the annual garage sale from Sept. 18-20. They will also purchase some toys for the fundraiser.

President of the Red Deer Christmas Bureau, Teresa Kutynec, said their partnership with the Rotary Club has had a profound impact on the community, especially during the holiday season.

“The Rotary Club of Red Deer has been a crucial supporter of the Christmas Bureau, working tirelessly to ensure every individual and family in our community has a chance to experience the joy of the holiday season, no matter the circumstances,” Kutynec said. “This is where the Rotary Club has truly shone through the generosity of its members. They’ve consistently provided both financial contributions and hands-on assistance to the Christmas Bureau.”

Meantime, the Rotary Club of Red Deer East will lend a hand and help prepare and serve a meal to the homeless community in the Red Deer Soup Kitchen on Sept. 11.

Executive director of the Red Deer Soup Kitchen, Attaleen Werner, said they’ve been serving the homeless and most vulnerable in the community for well over 30 years.

“Our goal is to provide supports to those in our community who are struggling to access basic necessities,” she said. “I realize that there are others that do this as well but you can’t have too many people offering supports when it comes to food.”

The Optimist Club of Red Deer decided to support Fairview Elementary School with painting the buddy bench and one-on-one reading assessments with the students. They explained over the past year they’ve donated approximately 120 bikes to the school that have been repaired and rejuvenated.

The Red Deer Kinsmen Club announced they’ll purchase new storage bins for Dress for Success, and will also help repack clothing for the fall season on Sept. 13.

Dress for Success Executive Director Erin Forbes, said this year they’re celebrating 15 years of empowering women in central Alberta.

Annually, they’re supported by over 2,500 volunteer hours, which she called the heartbeat of their mission.

“Volunteers built this foundation and their dedication fuels every success story and why it’s such an honour to be celebrating service week,” she said. “As we grow, we remain community driven and deeply grateful for partnerships like those with the Red Deer Kinsmen. Thank you for being a part of this journey.”

Last but not least, the Rotary Club of Red Deer Sunrise will help the Aspire Child Development Centre set up for their annual Decadent Desserts fundraiser on Oct. 2. They’ll also purchase five IPads for the children.

Executive director of the Centre, JoAnne Hayden, said these IPads will help children who are nonverbal, express their wants and needs and communicate.

“For many people, the only thing they know about Aspire is their preschool program but I did want to mention, Aspire serves 60 kids in their preschool program annually but they serve more than a thousand children and families every year with their other programs.”