Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie

What Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie does

The Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie is a private nonprofit charitable service club (Charitable #119141844RR0001) founded on June 18, 1918 as Club No. 429 in what is now Rotary International's District 6290. Headquartered at 364 Queen St. East in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, the organization operates with a paid staff of 7 supported by hundreds of volunteer members and runs under a board led by President Darryl Patterson (2025/2026). Its primary charitable mandate is supporting children with physical disabilities, with secondary programs spanning youth development, community celebration, healthcare funding, and international service. The organization has no proprietary technology platform; its "products" are a curated portfolio of community events and service programs rather than integrated software.

The club generates funds through a diversified set of recurring community events and a lottery program rather than traditional commercial sales. The flagship revenue driver is the Take Your Pick Draw, a semi-annual AGCO-licensed lottery (License #RAF1519051) that prints 18,000 tickets at $20 each with grand prizes reaching a 2026 Chevrolet Silverado package valued at $126,639.32. Secondary fundraising streams include the Soo Mill Rotary Charity Golf Classic ($900 per foursome plus sponsorships), the Sports Awards Dinner ($40 per ticket, with the HP Broughton Award), the Bell Celebrity Skate at GFL Memorial Gardens with the Soo Greyhounds, the annual Santa Claus Parade on Queen Street East, and ROTARYFEST — the signature summer festival dating to 1922. Non-event revenue includes member dues, direct donations through CanadaHelps, and corporate sponsorships from Bell Canada, Tenaris, Soo Mill, IDA, and a broader "Friends of Rotary" cohort. Beneficiaries include THRIVE Child Development Centre, the Children's Rehabilitation Centre Algoma, Sault Area Hospital Foundation, Group Health Centre, and Algoma students advancing to the Canada-Wide Science Fair.

Internationally, the club participates in Rotary International's Youth Exchange program (placing local high school students in 100+ countries at an $8,000 USD / $11,000 CAD flat fee) and contributes to the End Polio Now initiative, which since 1985 has channeled US$1.8 billion+ in global funding and vaccinated 2.5 billion children. The membership is approximately 30% female — a composition only possible since Rotary International opened membership to women in 1989 and the club inducted its first female members in 1990. Across 107 years, the club reports it has given back "millions of dollars" to the Sault Ste. Marie community through these channels.

Name

Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie

Legal name

Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie

Website

https://rotarysault.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1918

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie is a 107-year-old nonprofit service club in Ontario, Canada that funds programs for children with physical disabilities and broader community causes through member-led fundraising events including a lottery, golf classic, festival, and celebrity hockey game.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Service / Nonprofit Service Club

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAJ

Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGAKAB

Community Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYMPAKACAE

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Collegiate & Amateur Sports Organizations (NCAA, Federations, Clubs)

SECONDARYEDAIAGAO

Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/International Service Learning, Volunteering & Gap Year Programs

Keywords

• Community service organization
• Nonprofit charitable foundation
• Youth exchange programs
• Community fundraising events
• Volunteer service club

Headquarters

HQ city

Sault Ste. Marie

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Community Event Fundraising: Annual fundraising through community events including Take Your Pick Draw (lottery), Soo Mill Rotary Charity Golf Classic, Sports Awards Dinner ticket sales, and Santa Claus Parade participation fees. Proceeds support local youth charities and community projects.
2. Take Your Pick Draw: Lottery-style fundraiser with ticket sales at $20 each. Draws offer grand prize options including vehicles, trailers, saunas, or cash prizes (up to $126,639.32 in prize value). 18,000 tickets printed per draw.
3. Golf Tournament: Soo Mill Rotary Charity Golf Classic at $900 per foursome, with additional sponsorship opportunities and auction proceeds benefiting THRIVE Child Development Centre.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie is a nonprofit charitable service club that organizes community-building events, fundraising initiatives, and international service programs. Its primary mandate is supporting children with physical disabilities, delivered through large-scale community events (ROTARYFEST, Santa Claus Parade, Sports Awards Dinner), lottery-based fundraising (Take Your Pick Draw), youth programs (Youth Exchange, STEM Fair), and global initiatives (End Polio Now). The club is part of the Rotary International network (Club No. 429, District 6290) and has operated continuously since 1918.

Product overview

The Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie offers a portfolio of community service programs and fundraising initiatives rather than traditional technology products. The organization operates as a non-profit service club with a primary mandate to support children with physical disabilities. Core programs include ROTARYFEST (the Sault's Summer Festival), the Take Your Pick Draw lottery, the Rotary Youth Exchange international student program, and the Soo Mill Rotary Charity Golf Classic. Additional initiatives include Battle of the Sections, Sports Awards Dinner, Bell Celebrity Skate, Rotary Santa Claus Parade, and the Rotary Algoma STEM Fair. The organization also participates in the global End Polio Now initiative. These programs are standalone community events and initiatives rather than an integrated product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ROTARYFEST Major annual community summer festival held the third weekend of July, attracting tens of thousands of people. Originally launched in 1922 as Community Night to raise funds for children with physical disabilities, now serves as a signature community-building and fundraising event.
• Take Your Pick Draw A semi-annual charity lottery draw where participants purchase $20 tickets for the chance to win grand prize options including a 2025 Ford F150 4WD SuperCrew with Sauna and Trailer, a 2026 Chevrolet Silverado with Tundra Ski-Doo and BackCountry Ski-Doo and trailer, or $85,000 cash. Proceeds support local healthcare, youth, and educational causes.
• Rotary Youth Exchange A scholarship-based international student exchange program enabling high school students to study abroad for a full academic year. Students live with host families in over 100 countries, learn new languages, and gain cross-cultural experience while being hosted by local Rotary clubs worldwide.
• Battle of the Sections Annual pass-the-hat fundraising event held at GFL Memorial Gardens during a Soo Greyhounds OHL hockey game. Proceeds support Rotary youth charities and community projects.
• Sports Awards Dinner Annual community recognition dinner honoring local athletes with the HP Broughton Award for Sportsperson of the Year along with other trophies including the George Wallace Memorial Trophy and Walter Lowe Memorial Trophy. Tickets are $40 each.
• Soo Mill Rotary Charity Golf Classic Annual charity golf tournament held at Crimson Ridge Golf Course supporting the THRIVE Child Development Centre. Foursome entries cost $900, with sponsorship tiers ranging from $350 (Hole Sponsor) to $2,500 (THRIVE Champion Team) plus auction prize sponsorships.
• Bell Celebrity Skate Annual ice skating fundraiser held at GFL Memorial Gardens where local participants skate alongside Soo Greyhounds OHL hockey players. Teams raise pledges with 50% going to their organization and 50% to Rotary youth projects.
• Rotary Santa Claus Parade Annual holiday parade held on Queen Street East with entries competing for awards including Best in Parade (Norm Candelori Award), Best Corporate Entry, and Best Community Group Entry categories.
• Rotary Algoma STEM Fair Regional STEM fair for students in grades 7-12, presented by Tenaris and affiliated with Youth Science Canada. Offers awards, cash prizes, and opportunities to attend the Canada-Wide Science Fair.
• End Polio Now Global polio eradication initiative operated in partnership with Rotary International. Since 1985, Rotary has contributed over US$1.8 billion to the campaign, protecting 2.5 billion children with oral polio vaccine and increasing children living in polio-free countries from 10% to over 95%.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $77,000 raised at single Bell Celebrity Skate event
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rotary InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 1918Global humanitarian organization with over 35,000 clubs in 120 countries. The Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie is Club No. 429 in District No. 9 (now District 6290). Provides framework for Youth Exchange, international service projects, and End Polio Now initiative.
• Soo GreyhoundscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOHL hockey team partnership for Bell Celebrity Skate events. Local skaters raise funds for Rotary youth projects alongside team players. Event held at GFL Memorial Gardens.
• Bell CanadacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of Bell Celebrity Skate event. Major corporate sponsor providing support for youth fundraising initiatives.
• IDA (Independent Druggists Association)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of Rotary Santa Claus Parade. Community pharmacy association supporting annual parade event.
• TenariscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of Algoma Rotary Science Fair (Rotary Algoma STEM Fair presented by Tenaris).
• Soo Mill BuildallcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of Soo Mill Rotary Charity Golf Classic. Major supporter of annual golf tournament benefiting THRIVE Child Development Centre.
• Friends of Rotary (Corporate Sponsors)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerASAPP, BDO, Best Buy, Canadian Tire, Dig (digital intelligence group), Dr. Floreani, O'Toole & Dool Orthodontists, Icebreakers Sports Bar & Grill, John Rhodes Community Centre, McDougall Energy, Northcrest Lanes, Northern Sports Excellence, Savoy's Jewellers, Soo Source For Sports, Village Media, and many others supporting Bell Celebrity Skate and other events.
• THRIVE Child Development CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary beneficiary of Soo Mill Rotary Charity Golf Classic. Children's treatment centre supporting kids from 0-18 years with diverse abilities including physical, perceptual, communication and developmental differences. One of 21 children's treatment centres across Ontario.
• GFL Memorial GardensminorOthersVenue for Bell Celebrity Skate events and Battle of the Sections fundraiser.
• Marconi Multicultural Event CentreminorOthersMeeting venue for weekly Tuesday noon club meetings and events.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Lions Clubs International: Global service-club federation analogous to Rotary International. Operates via local chapters running volunteer-driven fundraising events for community causes, with comparable membership dues, structure, and youth programs.
• Kin Canada (Kinette & Kinsmen Clubs): Federation of Canadian service clubs analogous to Rotary. Operates community-service clubs across Canada via volunteer members, with comparable fundraising event formats (lotteries, sports tournaments, galas) supporting local community causes.

Direct peers

• Habitat for Humanity Sault Ste. Marie: Local chapter of a community-service nonprofit running volunteer-led fundraising events. Comparable regional scope, volunteer model, and reliance on community donations for project funding.
• United Way Sault Ste. Marie & Algoma District: Local community-fundraising nonprofit distributing funds to Algoma-area social-services agencies. Overlaps Rotary in fundraising model, regional grantmaking role, and beneficiary network including THRIVE and healthcare providers.
• Rotary Club of Toronto: Larger Canadian Rotary club in Ontario running comparable signature fundraising events, Youth Exchange, and Rotary International programs. Most direct peer in terms of operational model and portfolio of community projects.
• Sault Community Foundation: Local grantmaking and giving-services organization serving the Sault Ste. Marie region. Overlaps Rotary in community grant distribution, donor cultivation, and local-area fund stewardship.
• Kiwanis Club of Sault Ste. Marie: Parallel service-club organization in the same city, focused on youth and community service through volunteer-led fundraising events. Directly comparable mission, member model, and event-driven fundraising mechanics.
• YMCA of Sault Ste. Marie: Community-based nonprofit serving Sault Ste. Marie with youth programs, recreation facilities, and community services. Comparable local footprint, youth focus, and event-driven fundraising approach.
• Boys & Girls Club of Sault Ste. Marie: Youth-serving nonprofit in the same city, providing programs for children and youth. Mirrors Rotary's primary charitable mandate of supporting children, with overlapping beneficiary pool and donor base.

Regional players

• Sault Area Hospital Foundation: Regional healthcare fundraising foundation in Sault Ste. Marie — one of Rotary's primary grant recipients (C$100K 5-year pledge for cardiac care). Comparable community-fundraising mechanics and donor base, but specialized to healthcare.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RotaryClubofSSM
• Facebookfacebook.com/rotaryssm
• Instagraminstagram.com/rotaryssm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rotaryssm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie