A profile of Woodstock Rotary Club President Ashley Farrell
Each year, the Woodstock Rotary Club elects a new president. The Rotary year spans from July 1 to June 30; the 2024/25 club president this year is Ashley Farrell. The governing body for all Rotary clubs is Rotary International (RI), which chooses a new theme to guide clubs worldwide in their projects and activities. Ashley is excited to see how this year’s theme, “The Magic of Rotary,” can influence and guide our club with our current and upcoming initiatives.
Ashley was born in Woodstock and grew up in McKenzie Corner. She graduated from Woodstock High School and attended Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, where she obtained her Bachelor of Commerce degree. After graduating from post-secondary education, she worked through the Enterprise Rent a Car Leadership Program in Halifax, N.S.
Ashley moved back to Woodstock and started working for McCain in 2013. and has worked at McCain for 11 years in various supply chain roles. Currently, she manages Inventory and Network Distribution for North America.
In her spare time, she likes to be active and engaged. Working out and physical activity are essential to her, as she enjoys hiking, snowshoeing, biking, dancing, and golf. She also enjoys reading, doing creative projects, and volunteering. Her nine-year-old daughter Payton is also very active, so their time is balanced between juggling their extracurricular and social schedules.
Ashley joined Rotary in the Spring of 2021 because she was looking for a group of like-minded individuals with shared interests and goals while giving back to their community. Ashley respects and admires the Service above Self Rotary Moto and Rotary’s core values of service, fellowship, diversity, integrity, and leadership.
“The four-way test resonates with me and aligns with my own core values,” says Ashley.
Since joining Rotary, Ashley has served on the Rotary Dance and Draw Committee, Halloween Committee, and Membership Committee and joined the Board as Secretary in 2022. As president this year, Ashley says her goal is “to create an engaging environment for our membership and to encourage more community involvement by learning about and working with local service groups and organizations and identifying future projects that will provide a positive, sustainable impact.”
Ashley has appointed and will oversee various Rotary Committees that are centred around the Pillars of Rotary focus, which include promoting and supporting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, sanitation and hygiene, maternal and child health, Supporting Education and Literacy, Protecting the Environment and Growing Local Economies. Each committee dedicates itself to positively impacting the community through its objectives and the projects and requests it supports.
Ashley feels the Rotary International (RI) theme “The Magic of Rotary” emphasizes the transformative power that can be achieved through like-minded individuals working towards a common goal to make their world and surrounding communities better for all. Likewise, the RI website proclaims that the magic of Rotary is celebrated by its members, who create that magic with every project completed, every dollar donated, and every new member of Rotary.
“Rotarians are people of action, and the magic of Rotary lives within each Rotarian who puts service above self and works to accomplish the overreaching and impossible projects and initiatives that they take on,” says Ashley. “Over the years, I have seen a number of magical moments when an idea, became a plan and then that plan became a reality executed with excellence. It is very humbling and magical experience to witness a group of dedicated Rotarians who gather together every week to broadcast Bingo for the community, organize an Annual Rotary Dance and Draw and that take on small and large projects when a need arises, all in the name of creating a better community for everyone. Rotarians are truly magical people.”
Save the Date
In keeping with the Magic of Rotary theme, be sure to like and follow the Woodstock Rotary Club Dance and Draw Facebook page for upcoming announcements about our annual fundraiser. This year, the event will occur on Saturday, April 12, at the AYR Motor Centre. We will be having a “Rotary Magical Masquerade” event. Dress up with your masquerade masks while enjoying locally distilled spirits, craft beer, and wine while listening to “The Other Guys.” Dance the night away with “The Big Bad Party Band.” Draw prizes totalling almost $20,000 will be up for grabs. Don’t miss this great time out while supporting Rotary.
