June 2, 2026: Students at Regina Street Alternative School received a special delivery this spring as members of the Rotary Club of West Ottawa Literacy Committee partnered with StoryBook Ottawa to place a new, personally selected book into the hands of every student. After helping pack gift bags, Rotary volunteers returned the next day to deliver the books directly to classrooms, creating moments of excitement and connection throughout the school. For many children, a book of their own can be a treasured gift that helps foster a lifelong love of reading.
June 1, 2026: Every June, Rotary turns its attention to something that does not always get the spotlight it deserves.
Not the service projects. Not the grant funding. Not the committees.
The friendships.
Rotary Fellowships are international groups of Rotary members, their families, and friends who come together around a shared passion. A hobby. A profession. A sport. A love of jazz, motorcycles, rare books, or countless other interests. If you care deeply about something, chances are there are Rotarians around the world who care about it too.
May 27, 2026: The Rotary Club of West Ottawa is seeking one high school student to take part in Adventures in the Environment, a four-day Rotary youth program in Cornwall, Ontario, from September 14 to 17, 2026. The sponsored student will join seven others for hands-on environmental science, field biology, and learning with scientists connected to The River Institute for Environmental Science.
May 22, 2026: Four outstanding local students sponsored by the Rotary Club of West Ottawa have officially arrived at the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) program for a weekend of leadership development, teamwork, communication, personal growth, and new friendships. Bushra Alaje, Abdinasir “Abdi” Hassan, Pal Desai, and Yoanna Peng will join students from across the region for Rotary’s premier youth leadership experience running from Friday, May 22 to Sunday, May 24.
Sponsored by the Rotary Club of West Ottawa, Bushra, Abdi, Pal, and Yoanna each bring unique experiences, perspectives, and goals to the program.
The Free Reading Program is our online English literacy platform designed to build strong reading, writing, speaking and comprehension skills.
With more than 260 units and over 3,600 fun, interactive activities in levels K to grade 6, the Free Reading Program (FRP) covers phonics, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, and creative writing. Each person learns at their own pace, building skills through games, stories, and engaging exercises that are enjoyable and rewarding.
Great for those learning at home, those who want extra resources, those new to English or who have trouble learning, and to organizations who support literacy. By offering this accessible, professional solution, we help learners young and old gain confidence, open doors to opportunities, and spark a lifelong love of reading and writing.
Ask us for access!
It's completely free and private. There are no pop-ups or nags and your email address is never shared. Lots more info at www.bereading.org, or email freereadingprogram@rcwo.ca.
Attn. Rotary Clubs, Non-Profits, Private Sector - Get a Branded Campus
Get your own Free Reading Program (FRP) campus with your organization's name and logo on each activity!
Rotary Clubs: Apply here to get your branded FRP campus at no cost. Bring literacy learning to your community.
Non-profits, Private sector: Apply here to get a branded FRP campus with your organization name and logo on every activity. This not only gives your organization its own online professional literacy solution, it highlights the value of your organization to the community, and for non-profits, may lead to grant opportunities and donations.
With the Free Reading Program, we realize our commitment to basic education and literacy by making reading and writing free, fun, and available to all.
Ottawa, ON K2C 1N2
Canada