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Here are some of the community projects we've taken on:

April 23, 2022 – Our first annual Rotary Environmental Service Day was a success! 70 friends, 90 minutes, 2100 pounds of trash. Nanaimo is looking a little tidier!

Christmas Angel Program

Daybreak adopted two families of five this year through Nanaimo’s Christmas Angel Program.

Blueberry Picking

15 rotarians and friends helped out a local farmer by picking just shy of 400 pounds of blueberries.

NAC Food Share Program

Club members participate in a weekly food share program through Nanaimo’s Aboriginal Centre,  which fills and distributes approximately 270 bags of fresh produce to families every week.

2019/20

A work party assisted Island Crisis Care Society in moving 25 yards of top soil, filling up the many garden boxes at Newcastle Place. Volunteer shifts at Nanaimo Loaves & Fishes were taken on to lend support for vacationing regulars. A bottle drive was organized by two of our  junior club members, with funds supporting a local family in need.

Daybreak Rotary runs the Catch A Smile program for Kindergarten classes, where they talk about teeth, food and brushing. The students are all given a toothy bag filled with a toothbrush, floss, pamphlet, and Mr. Chewy stickers.

2016/17

Partnered with VIU’s Relations department, to increase awareness and registration for the Canada Learning Bond. Partnered with the Nanaimo Beekeepers Association to make our community more educated on the importance, preservation and reasons for the decline of honey bees. Partnered with Ladysmith Family and Friends to connect underprivileged families to good, community-inspired nutrition, “Find it. Grow it. Cook it. Eat it.”

2015/16

Partnered with Nanaimo Women’s Centre to construct a wheelchair accessible washroom and a kitchen space for their community partner, making the organization eligible to apply for specific grants and offer enhanced programming. Partnered with the Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre and commissioned a Coast Salish artist to create travelling toolboxes containing a variety of books on local Indigenous culture, to be shared with businesses in the community. Renovation project for the Clay Tree Society, creating a new space for the community partner’s Bridges Program.

2014/15

Team B.E.A.R., “CDC Extreme Makeover”, partnered with the Nanaimo Child Development Centre to increase the organization’s visibility in the community.
Team Raise a Little Bed, working with Community Partner, Providence Farm, rebuilt and revitalized the St. Anne’s Garden Club program area.
Team Volunteers ‘R’ Us, partnered with Volunteer Nanaimo to organize and deliver a Volunteer Fair in Nanaimo.

2013/14

Team Cohesion, “Bridging the Gap”, partnered with BC Children’s Hospital Community for Kids (a local volunteer committee in partnership with BC Children’s Hospital Foundation). They raised public awareness and funds through two community events to spotlight the many ways in which the Community for Kids helps sick children and their families in our community.
Team I.M.P.A.C.T., Community Partners – Help Fill A Dream Foundation, Harbour City Football Club and the Nanaimo Child Development Centre, created and held an awareness event.
RAK Squad, partnered with the Secret Santa Nanaimo to help create an expandable set of tools and a refined program design to enhance the “Secret Santa” project.
Team WIP (Walk In Providence) – partnered with Providence Farm to create a historical, self-guided walking tour of Providence Farm. The project was completed to coincide with the 35th anniversary of Providence Farm.

2012/13

Team ALOT (Acknowledging Leaders of Tomorrow), “Supporting Youth Leadership”. In partnership with Volunteer Cowichan developed, planned and implemented the Leaders of Tomorrow Awards, a youth volunteer recognition program. *LEGACY PROJECT*
Team Cura, “Spreading the News about Soup Share”. In partnership with Nanaimo Foodshare, completed a feasibility study for the community partner regarding their potential soup program.
Team Hardy Buoys – unique situation, one participant relocated to Port Hardy and wanted to complete program, so he partnered with Hardy Buoys Smoked Fish and organized a group of Hardy Buoys employees to create fundraising ideas for them to take part in the Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
Team LDI (Let’s Do It), “The Labyrinth of Leading”, project sponsors Coastal Community Credit Union and Nanaimo Rotary Daybreak enabled the team to build a Labyrinth at Fairview Community School in Nanaimo.
Team Resolve, “Food Security for Our Children”, partnered with John Barsby Community School for the Food Matters Project in an effort to build a sustainable food program for their students.

2011/12

Team Inspire – partnered with the Nanaimo Airport and the Nanaimo Motocross Wastelands to present the Happy Trails Motor Sports Awareness Day.
Team Shift Happens – worked with the Ladysmith Chamber of Commerce, the Ladysmith Downtown Business Association and the Town of Ladysmith to get the community engaged in the 10% Shift Campaign that puts local business first.
Team Spirit – partnered with Providence Farms to put on a volunteer appreciation day and to develop a commemoration wall honouring the Farm’s history and street signs to honour the 4 founders of the Society that runs the Farm.

2010/11

Team Board Members – partnered with the Town of Ladysmith and the carpentry students of Ladysmith Secondary School to upgrade the Ladysmith Skate Park by building an amphitheatre-style seating area, add benches, install a new irrigation system, clean up the surrounding grass area, and install new skateboard apparatus.
Live, Laugh, Learn Autism Expo – Team TrailBlazers worked with the Autism Society of Nanaimo to develop, plan and implement a community-based event in April to help increase awareness about Autism, and provide information and resources to families living with Autism. The event will brought together agencies, families, practitioners, resources and the community for a fun day of information sharing, support and celebration.
Spring Fling – Team Synergy worked to increase awareness about the Farm at Cedar Woods through the development, planning and implementation of an open house in May.

2009/10

Steps for Success – Team Vision partnered with Ladysmith Secondary School and Ladysmith Parks, Recreation & Culture to put on a half day conference for LSS Grade 12 students. The conference included a motivational speaker and workshops that provided participants with goal setting skills designed to help them develop a successful and healthy lifestyle.
Team Tomorrow – In partnership with Stz’uminus First Nations’ Elders, community members and leaders, the team coordinated a one-day interactive workshop: Total Physical Response – Hul’qumi’num For Beginners. The workshop taught the basics of the Hul’qumi’num language by creating a fun atmosphere that uses simple commands and action responses.
Pawsitive Impact: Building Positive and Responsible Relationships with Animals – In partnership with Nanaimo & District’s BC SPCA, Team Blue Sky developed the Pawsitive Impact program that empowers children aged 8-12 to create lasting, positive, responsible relationships with pets.
Explore Nanaimo! Passport to Your City – Team Alliance joined Tourism Nanaimo to create a city Passport allowing citizens to explore the amazing attractions and businesses in Nanaimo.

2008/09

Literacy Nanaimo – raising awareness of literacy issues in the region;
Cinderella-Fella Nanaimo – increasing the viability of the Cinderella-Fella program through the development and implementation of a marketing plan to raise awareness, and obtain program supplies;
Big Brothers/Big Sisters – acknowledging and celebrating the work of this organization through the coordination and implementation of a renovation of their office space.

2007/08

John Barsby School – centered around making the school more enviro-friendly, and specifically targeted reducing the use / waste of paper products.
7-10 Soup Kitchen – re-branding & logo contest
City of Nanaimo – Promoting The City Emergency Response System
Big Brothers/Big Sisters – Matching program

2006/07

Open Minds, Open Windows related to – Mental Health in the Workplace awareness campaign and luncheon-Ron Pleacas
Harewood Crisis Walk-In Clinic – Goal was to find a location and open a walk in crisis counseling Clinic in Harewood. The Leadership Team made the community more aware and formed a steering committee to continue on with the project.
Nanaimo Airport, Airport Customer Service & Experience – Created and completed a Survey & produced a report
City of Nanaimo – Emergency Preparedness , 12 week intensive media campaign & development of emergency disaster kits, done to coincide with National & provincial Emergency Preparedness Week May 7-13, 2007

2005/06

Nanaimo Child Development Centre – Public Awareness Campaign involving development of a video and on-going annual Gala event
Crystal Meth Task Force (now disbanded I think) – Community Awareness Campaign
Junior Achievement of BC – re-introducing this back into select high schools related to helping students understand and learn more about business, economics, becoming an entrepreneur, developing leadership skills etc

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