Rotary Club of Bathurst, New Brunswick

17/09/2026

Seemed like a beautiful evening for harvesting vegetables at the Bathurst Rotary Community Garden. Our crew harvested 18 lbs of green tomatoes, 4 lbs of red tomatoes, 14 lbs of onions, 9 lbs of carrots , 4 lbs of Zucchini, 2 lbs of Squash and 4 lbs of yellow and green beans. All vegetables have been delivered to the Bathurst Food Bank.

13/09/2026

Member Profile

John Furlong, the man of the billion dollar smile and laugh, has been a Rotarian for the past 10 years. Since becoming a Rotarian, John has become a frequent contributor to our team, especially working Ribfest, helping out at the Rotary Community Garden and always willing to flip a burger at our BBQs. John is now a valued Board member and an integral part of our Ribfest team.

In his personal life, John, former owner and consultant with Office Interiors, has just recently retired. He loves to golf, ski and travel. He is especially proud of his three daughters. Oh, and he is a Toronto Maple Leafs fan.

The next time you see John out and about in his busy day, don’t forget to thank him for his “Service Above Self.”

12/09/2026

Our crew at today’s Bathurst Registration Day. Still not too late to come visit.

11/09/2026

Here’s a map of different organizations to check out at tomorrow’s Bathurst registration day. Come say hi to us.

At the Paul Ouellette Room, K.C. Irving Centre, 12 September, 10 am to 1 pm.

07/09/2026

A great Rotarian! Glad we could be part of your journey Doug.

Meet a Member Monday: Doug Baker

This week’s Meet a Member Monday is especially timely, as Doug Baker, CPA, recently celebrated an incredible 55 years as a Rotarian! He is pictured receiving a certificate of recognition for this remarkable milestone by President Sherry Mourant.

Doug was inducted into the Bathurst Rotary Club on August 14, 1971, and joined the Rotary Club of Moncton West & Riverview after returning to his hometown in September 1977.

Over more than five decades of Rotary service, Doug has volunteered on most of our Club’s committees, served as Club President in 1982–83 and as a Director for many years. At the District level, he chaired two annual conferences and served on the District Finance Committee. He has also been recognized with a Paul Harris Fellowship on three occasions.

For Doug, projects such as the Club’s longstanding involvement with Moncton Headstart and the establishment of the Rotary Lodge at Mapleton Park are examples of what has kept him interested and proud to be a Rotarian.

Professionally, Doug began his accounting career in Moncton in 1963 and was admitted to the CPA profession in 1970. In 1989, he opened his own public accounting practice, serving small businesses throughout Greater Moncton for 20 years. His career also included serving as a finance officer for the FIFA Women’s Soccer Tournament in Moncton and as a Director for several organizations across Atlantic Canada.

Although Doug retired in September 2023, he continues to serve as an independent public Director. He currently serves as an independent Director of the Law Society of New Brunswick and as an adjudicator panelist with CPA New Brunswick.

Born and raised in Moncton, Doug has been volunteering since before he was a teenager, encouraged by his parents. He and his wife, Donna, celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary this year. Their two adult children and two adult grandchildren live in Greater Moncton, and they are also proud great-grandparents.

Outside of volunteering, Doug is a longtime Moncton Wildcats season ticket holder and has a collection of more than 250 books on Native American and Indigenous mythology, which he eventually plans to donate to an Indigenous organization.

During his 55 years as a Rotarian, Doug has witnessed significant changes in Rotary, from welcoming women into membership to the evolution of projects addressing needs locally and around the world. Through it all, he says one important principle has remained:

“While the focus changes to meet current needs, the principle of ‘Service Above Self’ remains the same.”

Congratulations, Doug, on 55 years of Rotary service, and thank you for your longstanding commitment to our Club and community!

31/08/2026

Rotary Club of Bathurst travel draw results for September 2026.

1) Trip to Riviera Maya, Mexico, $ 4,000 + $500 cash. Winner; Janice Noel, Bathurst, NB

2) $500 Cash. Winner; Carla & Bernard Daigle, Bathurst, NB

3) $250 Cash. Winner; Lloyd Southern, Bathurst, NB

4) $125 Gift certificate from Captain's Cabin. Winner; Kathy Grebenc, Bathurst, NB

5) $100 Gift certificate from Cast & Crew. Winner; Lisa Scott, Clifton, NB

6) $100 Gift certificate from Atlantic Host. Winner; Gary & Lynn Bennett, Beresford, NB

7) $100 Gift certificate from Tim Hortons. Winner; Patrick Bulger, Bathurst, NB

8. $100 Gift certificate from Nepisiguit River Co. Winner; Patrick Riordon, Pokeshaw, NB

9) $100 Gift certificate from District Burger & Cocktails. Winner; Ryan Faulds, Bathurst, NB

10) $100 Gift Certificate from Canadian Tire Bathurst. Winner; Tammy MacDonald, Bathurst, NB

11) $50 Gift certificate from Tower Jewellers Bathurst. Winner; Brenda & Raymond Melanson, Bathurst, NB

12) $50 Gift Certificate from Chicken King & Chinese Palace. Winner; Jackie Pitre, Bathurst, N.B.

Congratulations to all the winners. As always, all prizes will be sent by mail in the form of a signed voucher.

Please share this posting with all your Facebook friends.

Please note: Any discrepancy between this posting and the official draw results shall be ruled in favour of the official draw results.

30/08/2026

We, the Rotary Club of Bathurst, enjoyed our annual corn boil this afternoon. We had a great turnout, enjoyed some relaxing fellowship, licked in to some burgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob and too many delicious desserts to count. Our thanks to Margie and Terry Lenihan for hosting today’s event.

25/08/2026

I knew that Dolly Parton was a Paul Harris Fellow, and certainly a Rotarian at heart. So, I had thoughts of doing a posting of her passing. I’m glad I waited a bit. Evan Burrell’s posting is much more comprehensive and eloquent.

Dolly, thank you for having been such a caring, considerate person. May you Rest in Peace.

What a sad day today.

The world has lost an extraordinary entertainer, philanthropist and genuinely remarkable human being with the passing of Dolly Parton.

Most people will remember Dolly for the music, the rhinestones, the humour and that unmistakable voice. But for millions of children and families around the world, her greatest legacy may well be something much quieter, a book arriving in the mail. 📚❤️

Dolly founded the Imagination Library in 1995, inspired in part by her father, who never had the opportunity to learn to read and write. The idea was beautifully simple: give children free, age-appropriate books from birth until the age of five and help create a lifelong love of reading.

And that is where Dolly's story became intertwined with Rotary International

Since 2009, Rotary clubs have worked alongside Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to help bring books into the homes and hands of children in communities around the world.

It was a partnership that made perfect sense.

Literacy. Education. Opportunity. Community.

The very things Rotary members have championed for generations.

For me, Dolly's passing also brings back a very special Rotary memory.

I first saw Dolly in person at the Rotary International Convention in Montréal, Canada, in 2010.

I remember sitting there thinking just how impressive she was. Yes, she was a superstar, one of the most recognisable entertainers on the planet, but what struck me was the person behind all of that.

She was warm, authentic and incredibly passionate about giving children opportunities through literacy. She was also incredibly funny! I remember when Past RI President John Germ presented her with a Paul Harris Fellow and was awkwardly struggling to decide if he should put the lapel pin on her dress. She said "Oh just pin it on honey, it might be the 1st thing people notice for a change" 🤣

But Dolly understood something that I think sits right at the heart of Rotary:

You can use whatever platform you have to make somebody else's life a little better.

She certainly did that!

Her songs will continue to be played. Her movies will continue to make us smile. Her unmistakable image will remain part of popular culture.

But somewhere, a child will open a book because of an idea Dolly Parton had more than 30 years ago.

And perhaps that child will discover a love of reading, dream a little bigger and see possibilities they hadn't seen before.

Now THAT is a legacy that is working much longer than 9 to 5!

Thank you for the music, the laughter, the books and, most importantly, for showing the world that kindness and generosity never go out of style.

Rest peacefully, Dolly. 🌸📚🎶

We will always love you. ❤️

25/08/2026

At yesterday’s meeting, Charles Doucet and Jesse Ferguson, representing the Robertville Community Association, gave our club a presentation on a planned outdoor recreational complex in their community. This project has been in the works for several years now. Their vision is now so close to reality.

The Rotary Club of Bathurst realizes the many volunteer hours of meetings and planning needed to make this project happen. Our congratulations to the Robertville Community Association’s committee members, present and past, for their many years of personal effort.