Rotary Club of Summerside

A powerful reminder that impaired driving is not just a statistic — it affects families and communities right here on PEI
Yesterday morning we welcomed Heather Davids and her daughter Brooke Burns from MADD Summerside, who shared the work they are doing to rebuild awareness around impaired driving and support prevention efforts in our community

Their presentation included some sobering PEI statistics, but also a very clear message — impaired driving is preventable, and every one of us has a role to play

Heather and Brooke are a great example of people who saw a need in their community and decided to do something about it

Thank you both for sharing your time, your perspective and the important work of MADD Summerside with our Rotary Club!

A big thank you to the Rotary Club of Summerside for inviting MADD Summerside to speak with you this morning. We truly appreciate the opportunity to share our message and connect with such a wonderful community group.

And a special thank you to Andrew Brown that PEI Realtor for being a fantastic chair and making us feel so welcome! ❤️

What a lively and informative morning with the team from PlunkEV ⚡️

We were delighted to welcome PlunkEV Founder and CEO, Kent Rathwell, along with many representatives from the company.

It was inspiring to hear how this Canadian-owned EV charging company is helping reshape the charging landscape with accessible, practical solutions designed to make EV ownership more convenient and affordable for Canadians.

We are proud that Summerside continues to be recognized for leadership in EV adoption, charging infrastructure, and accessibility. Thank you to Kent and the PlunkEV team for sharing your vision, expertise, and enthusiasm with us.

🏌️ SOLD OUT!

The 26th Annual Rotary Charity Golf Tournament has officially SOLD OUT!

A huge thank you to everyone who registered and helped make this year’s tournament another incredible success before we even hit the course.

We can’t wait to welcome everyone to Mill River Resort & Golf Club on September 16, 2026 for a great day of golf, community, and giving back.

A special thank you to our Title Sponsor, Fitzgerald and Snow, for their generous support, along with everyone helping us make a difference for the Prince County Hospital Foundation

See you on the course!

Last week, the Rotary Club of Summerside welcomed Dr. Kristen R. Schell, P.Eng., Associate Professor at Carleton University and Canada Research Chair in Uncertainty-Informed Net-Zero Energy System Modelling.

Her research focuses on wind and hydro power forecasting, renewable-energy integration, and using tools such as machine learning and energy-system optimization to build a cleaner, more reliable and affordable electrical grid.

Dr. Schell spoke about the convergence of renewable energy, AI and smarter electrical controls—and the opportunity to better coordinate when homes, businesses and devices use electricity. By shifting demand away from peak periods, utilities can make better use of existing generation and infrastructure while reducing the need for costly new capacity.

Her work also connects with the Wind Energy Institute of Canada (WEICan) and the Canadian Wind Energy Research Network, where researchers are advancing wind forecasting and grid-integration technologies.

A fascinating look at how smarter technology and smarter energy use can help shape PEI’s energy future. Thank you, Dr. Schell, for joining us!

A heartfelt thank you to Rowan MacDonald and his wonderful family for joining the Rotary Club of Summerside and sharing their story with us!

Rowan, the 2026 Easter Seals Society of PEI Ambassador, did an incredible job speaking to our club. His confidence, enthusiasm and positive energy filled the room, and we were so grateful to hear about his experiences and the important work of Easter Seals PEI.

Rowan has represented Easter Seals with such pride throughout his ambassador year, helping raise awareness about Down syndrome, inclusion and the abilities of Islanders living with disabilities. His powerful motto says it all:

“There is ability in every disability. We are no less. We are unstoppable.”

Thank you to Rowan’s entire family for supporting him throughout this journey and for sharing such a special visit with our club.

Rowan, you have done an outstanding job as this year’s ambassador, and the Rotary Club of Summerside is incredibly proud of you!

Great progress is happening at Rotary Friendship Park!

The trail resurfacing work being completed by Curran and Briggs is expected to be finished by July 28th , and it is already making a big improvement to this important community space.

The Summerside Rotary Club is investing $150,000 into the Rotary Friendship Park in 2026, this is helping strengthen an asset that is enjoyed by residents, families, walkers, visitors, and the wider community.

This work is a great complement to the recent Rotary wheel improvements and reflects Rotary’s ongoing commitment to building a better, more welcoming city for everyone.

This work also builds on the recent contributions by the City (new south entrance off Carins Blvd) and connects nicely to active living paths recently opened as part of the East-West connector project.

Big thanks to Club supporters and volunteers for making this happen. Attached is our most recent strategic action plan for the Rotary Friendship Park.

Thank you to all who continue to support and care for this special place in Summerside!

A huge thank you to Don McDougall and Geoffrey Irving for joining the Rotary Club of Summerside on Tuesday and sharing more about the incredible momentum happening at Mill River Resort and throughout Western Prince Edward Island.

It was fantastic to build on the conversation from Friday’s Summerside Lobster Luncheon and hear more about the continued investment, development and vision for the Mill River area.

Don McDougall Park is an exciting addition to the region, featuring Prince Edward Island’s first turf baseball field, along with dugouts, bullpens, a 600 metre walking track and two outdoor green gym spaces. As the Province shared, the new park will “enhance baseball and other outdoor activities for Islanders” while also creating economic benefits through tournaments and events.

The new West Prince Curling Club is another incredible example of that momentum. The 21,000 square foot, four sheet facility brought together the former Alberton and O’Leary curling clubs in a modern, centrally located home at Mill River Resort. The facility is already helping to strengthen curling in the region and bring more sporting and community events to Western PEI.

These investments are about much more than new facilities. They are creating opportunities for recreation, tourism, community connection and economic development while helping establish the Mill River area as a major sporting destination.

We are grateful to Don and Geoffrey for taking the time to speak with our club, answer questions and share their vision for what is still to come. There is incredible momentum at Mill River, and we look forward to watching it continue.

We’re excited to welcome Rowan, a representative from Easter Seals Society of PEI, who will be joining us on Tuesday for a special presentation!

Easter Seals plays such an important role in helping children and adults with disabilities access the equipment, programs, support, and opportunities they need to live more independently and participate fully in their communities.

Anyone interested in learning more about Easter Seals and the incredible difference they make is invited to come check us out.

Meeting at 7:15am at Ansons, at the Slemon Park Hotel.
We’d love to see you there!

A big thank you to last week’s guest speaker, Sean Aylward, owner of The Humble Barber and a familiar face in downtown Summerside’s business community.

Sean has brought more than great businesses to our downtown. He has created welcoming spaces with personality, excellent service and plenty of local flavour.

Sean has now stepped into another important leadership role as President of the Summerside Curling Club

The Summerside Curling club is a true pillar of our community, bringing generations together through sport, friendship and some healthy competition. It is clear that the club is in great hands with Sean’s energy, business experience and commitment to Summerside.

We are grateful to have the Summerside Curling Club in our community and excited to see the continued growth, fresh ideas and success Sean will bring to the table.

Thank you, Sean, for joining us and for continuing to invest your time, leadership and entrepreneurial spirit into our city.