Members of the Rotary Club of Belleville have for some time been working closely with several Indigenous communities, Fort Albany, Tyendinaga, Thunder Bay, Dryden, Kenora, Wasaya, New Credit and Fort Hope since 2012.
Over the past couple of years the Indigenous Peoples Partnerships Cluster(IPCC) has been formed and is growing with five Rotary clubs from three districts working together on different projects. Clubs involved are Rotary Club of Belleville, Rotary Club of Cobourg, Rotary Club of Etobicoke, Rotary Club of Scarborough, Rotary Club of Trenton and Rotary Club of Sunshine Coast(BC) https://rotaryindigenouscluster.org/
Recently 80 refurbished laptops were shipped to the Nibinamik Education Center and between all cluster club members, 8 bursaries at $ 1,000 each to students at Lakehead University, Laurentian University and St. Lawrence College in Kingston were presented.
The club has provided gift cards for tenants at Kingston’s Tipi Moza (Aboriginal housing) and bursaries for Indigenous Peoples in Lakehead and a Kairos Blanket Exercise in support of Red Cedars Shelter.
They are now exploring providing playground equipment for Fort Hope.
Club member Randy Coker and his wife will be teaching financial literacy and career choices in Thunder Bay. Great work!