The Wellington Bottle Depot – the ‘Engine’ of our Rotary Club
At last week’s Forum meeting I was impressed by Bill Pennell’s year-end financial summary which reported that 41% of fundraising last year by the Wellington Rotary was derived from the Bottle Depot.
The Wellington Rotary Bottle Depot was established in 2005, two years after the establishment of the Rotary Club itself. Rotarians Don Wight and Ted Nash were instrumental in making this happen. There was in fact a pre-existing small bottle return at the historic L and R Feed Mill site on Second Street. When Mark Armstrong purchased the Mill in 2005 he approached Ted Nash with a proposition that the Rotary Club of Wellington take over the operation of the Bottle Depot.
In partnership with the Beer Store, the Depot gradually developed over the following years. A major expansion occurred in 2018 with the construction of what is essentially the current site. Construction costs totalled $15,000, of which the Beer Store contributed $7,000, – surely a testament to the fact that they were happy and supportive of this partnership. Over the years, the Wellington Rotary Bottle Depot has become much more than a recycling centre—it is arguably a cornerstone of community service and one of the Rotary Club of Wellington's greatest success stories.
What makes the Depot unique is its ability to combine environmental stewardship with community impact. Residents return their beer, wine, liquor bottles, cans, and other eligible beverage containers, receiving the same deposit refund they would at any authorized outlet. It is worth noting however, that many residents opt to donate a portion or all of their returns to our Rotary. In addition, the Wellington Rotary has established relationships with neighbouring businesses and Rotaries who selectively bring their bottle returns to our recycling site.
According to Bill’s financial summary the Wellington Bottle Depot handled approximately 900,000 container units last year! The Rotary Club, in turn, earns revenue based on the volume of containers processed, making the Depot its largest and most dependable fundraising initiative.
Remarkably, it has become one of the highest-volume independent bottle depots in Ontario! Over the years, thousands of volunteer hours have been invested by Rotarians and Friends of Rotary supporters who sort containers, assist customers, and keep the operation running smoothly. Special recognition needs to be paid to those who work ‘behind the scenes’ to make the bottle depot work so efficiently: Bill Mitchell, Mike Lattner, Kim Lee, Bill Pennell, Colin Fredericks, Ted Nash, Trudy Brown and Phyo Kyi. The proceeds from bottle returns have funded countless local initiatives, including youth programs, community facilities, healthcare projects, scholarships, and international humanitarian efforts. Most notably, Bottle Depot revenues helped support the club's significant contributions toward the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital fundraising campaign.
The Wellington Rotary Bottle Depot stands as a model of how a simple recycling program can generate lasting environmental, economic, and community benefits. It truly reflects Rotary's motto, “Service Above Self”.
Quote of the week:
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is a success.” - Henry Ford
Bad Dad Joke of the week:
I just spent $100 on a belt that doesn’t fit. Huge waste.
Chris Compeau
President 2026-27
This Week's Zoom Meeting Details:
Topic: Weekly Rotary Meeting
Time: August 04, 2026 07:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81827939082
Meeting ID: 818 2793 9082
Passcode: rotary
---------- // -----------
Notes from Club Forum on July 28, 2026
Chris opened the meeting at 7:07 with 29 members present. He thanked the members who kept things on track for the month of July – the setup team, the breakfast crew and Mike for handling the bulletin.
Review of Board Reports
Treasurer Bill went through the Financial Report for June. Norm moved that the Financial Statement for June be adopted; seconded by William; motion carried. Bill then provided a comprehensive year-end summary, the highlight of which was the illustration of our club’s overhead expense ratio of 2.1%, which is outstanding. Reserves at year-end were comparable to the prior year. Past Treasurer Trudy pointed out that our donation to the Legion (in lieu of rent) was previously included in the total of admin expenses.
Roger (Dir - Governance, Policy and Administration) reported that he has put together an ad hoc committee consisting of himself, Cathy and John H to review/update the club bylaws and incorporate the new position of Club Security Officer.
PE Gregor (Fundraising) reported that he is working with the Regent, Conrad and John G in planning the Music/On-line Auction event in September. Tickets are for sale online at the Regent website. Mike, who is handling the online auction site, said the auction opens August 24th and closes at noon on September 7th, the day after the Music Event. The QR code for the site will be on the posters.
Mon, Aug 11 – Brighton Interclub Barbeque and Karaoke
Tues, Aug 12 – Rescheduled Potluck Pool Party at Pierre and Connie’s
Sun, Sept 6 – Regent Theatre “Understanding Cold and Hungry” fundraiser for PEC Foodbanks, featuring the Road Apples concert (Tragically Hip tribute band) and a live auction
Pres Chris acknowledged the “heavy hitters” at the Bottle Depot for July, leading off with Geoff who took 7 shifts (wow!) followed by Trudy, John I, Phyo and Gregor, each with 3 shifts.
Birthdays – John Heeringa – today
50/50 draw – Christine’s ticket was drawn AGAIN, and she picked a spade AGAIN,
but it was the queen.
Chris closed the meeting at 8:30 with the Four-Way Test.
---------- // ---------
PErCy the Pelican Has Retired
After many years of faithful service at Wellington Rotary Beach, PErCy the Pelican retired last week.
PErCy—short for Prince Edward Recycling—was the brainchild of Barry Davidson, who created the pelican-shaped recycling station to encourage recycling and promote beach stewardship.
Barry cared for PErCy for many years, and following his passing, Kim Lee continued that dedication.
PErCy was intended for plastic recyclables only, helping keep litter off the beach and out of the lake, where it can harm fish and birds. While many beachgoers used PErCy as intended, over the years the pelican's pouch also collected its share of items better suited for a garbage bin.
Fortunately, those items were still kept off the beach. A pelican may seem like an unusual mascot for Prince Edward County, but although uncommon, both the American White Pelican and the Brown Pelican have been seen flying through the County.
PErCy has now been replaced by a traditional recycling bin, but his years of encouraging cleaner beaches and better recycling habits will be fondly remembered. Thank you for your service, PErCy!
