Celebrating Service, Leadership, and a New Rotary Year: Changeover 2026

The room was already alive before the formal program began. Guests greeted one another, checked the silent auction tables, and enjoyed welcome music performed by young musicians from OrKidstra, one of the community organizations honoured later in the evening.

It was a fitting start to a celebration rooted in service: music offered by young people whose own program reflects the power of community, shared in a room filled with Rotarians, partners, friends and family members who had gathered to recognize the people and organizations helping make Ottawa stronger.

A Warm Welcome

President Ginette Thomas opened the evening by welcoming members, guests and award recipients, and by acknowledging that the club was meeting on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation.

As with so many RCWO gatherings, the evening brought together the practical and the personal. Brett Brooking managed the online component so members who could not attend in person could still be part of the celebration, while Larry Chop took pictures to capture the memories. At the same time, Miriam Fraser had organized a silent auction in support of The Rotary Foundation, giving guests another way to contribute while enjoying the evening.

Honouring Service Above Self

Bob Harrison, Chair of the Club Awards Committee, served as Master of Ceremonies for the awards portion of the program. The club recognized community organizations, local leaders and RCWO members whose service reflects the best of Rotary.

The awards were more than a list of names. They told a larger story about what service looks like in practice: music education that builds confidence and belonging, faith communities responding to human need, Rotarians quietly sustaining projects year after year, and leaders helping the club grow in visibility, friendship and impact.

Some service is highly visible. Some happens quietly in committee meetings, classrooms, delivery routes, phone calls, grant applications, community visits and moments of care. The evening offered a chance to pause and say thank you for all of it.

Looking Back on a Year That Mattered

After the awards, President Ginette reflected on the Rotary year coming to a close. Her remarks were not simply a list of activities, although the year had certainly been full: lunch meetings, breakfast gatherings, IKEA dinners, sailing club evenings, youth programs, literacy initiatives, fundraising projects, community outreach and fellowship events of every kind.

Instead, her reflection centred on connection. The club had grown not only through numbers, but through friendships, shared service, and the willingness to try new things. Looking back across the year, the story was not just what RCWO had done. It was how members had come together to do it.

A New Rotary Year Begins

The second half of the evening turned toward transition as Gord Leverton was welcomed as President for the 2026-2027 Rotary year.

Gord thanked Ginette for her leadership and introduced the incoming Board of Directors. He then shared a clear priority for the year ahead: engagement. With many newer members having joined the club in recent years, Gord encouraged committee chairs and long-time members to invite participation, share responsibilities, mentor newer Rotarians and help every member find a meaningful place in the work of the club.

His message was simple and important: RCWO's strength lies not only in how many members it has, but in how many people feel welcomed, useful, connected and ready to serve.

The Spirit of the Evening

By the end of the night, the message was clear. Rotary is built on people: people who show up, people who serve, people who welcome others, people who notice what needs doing, and people who help turn good intentions into meaningful action.

The Awards Gala and Presidential Changeover gave RCWO a chance to celebrate a year of service, thank those who helped make it possible, and look ahead with energy and purpose to another year of Service Above Self.