With the wild Bruce County winter weather creating an authentic backdrop to this year’s Rotary Winterama polar challenge, the G.C. Huston Hawks Polar Team reached the North Pole after only 15 days of trekking and are now heading down the Arctic Ice Cap toward Europe, edging out the Northport Cougars.
Northport is only 500 kms from the Pole, while EPESCS(Saugeen Central) and St. Joseph’s are not far behind! With Saugeen District (SDSS) battling through Nunavut, Arran-Tara in Churchill, Manitoba, Amabel-Hepworth in Fort Severn on Hudson Bay and Amabel-Sauble in Lake River, James Bay, all schools have compiled an impressive number of winter kms in this February’s Rotary Winterama 2025 challenge.
While skating, skiing, snowshoeing, running and walking through the Arctic, these students have already raised thousands of pledge dollars for their schools, to help their nutrition programs and to fund special projects within their schools. Generous donors continue to encourage these Winterama students toward their February fitness goals and toward the important life lesson of giving back to their communities.
If you want to sponsor a polar trekker, go to https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/Rotary/p2p/2025RotaryWinterama/ and find your trekker’s fundraising page. You can also contribute cash or cheques to a Winterama enthusiast near you. All donations $20 or over will receive an income tax receipt from Rotary Winterama.
While our students have been trekking through the Arctic, eight community teams of adults have also been racing (panting actually!) to keep up with them.
Team Rotary has reached northern Manitoba on Hudson Bay, and hopes to reach the Pole before the spring equinox. EPESCS staff, Mayor Luke and the Municipality of Saugeen Shores, and Northport Staff have been “neck and neck”, having all passed Moosonee, and are all now tramping along the frozen shores of James Bay. Saugeen Shores Police Service, Saugeen Shores Firefighters, Nuclear Promise X and the G.C. Huston staff are bravely bringing up the rear among the adults.
Many of the adult trekkers, in addition to striving toward individual and group fitness goals, have also made generous donations, offering their support to Rotary Winterama and Rotary youth programs in our area.
Severe winter weather prevented many from enjoying the Winterama skates with Bearama on Family Day, February 17th, but a few enthusiasts braved the weather before all roads ended up closed. Winner of the puck toss in Shallow Lake was Nolan Waples, while Kaden Dennison won at the Saugeen Shores Plex. Both boys won two tickets to see the Attack play.
