Who were Bob and Joyce?
Bob Perks was a dedicated member of the Rotary Club of Simcoe for more than 33 years. He served as Club President in 2008-2009, and was also a multiple Paul Harris Fellow.
He started his career in the oil refinery business with Frontenac Oil in Port Credit before moving to Port Dover and joining Rotary in 1990.
Bob was deeply committed to international service and to ShelterBox’s mission of helping families rebuild after disaster.
His sister Joyce was known for her wit, humour, and love of animals. She was woven into the fabric of her community through friendship and service.
Together, they shared a commitment to help others both locally and globally. Their final wish was to ensure their legacy supported an international cause, and they entrusted the Rotary Club of Simcoe to choose the recipient. We are deeply grateful they chose ShelterBox Canada.
The Perks Memorial Campaign
Bob and Joyce left an extremely generous bequest to the Rotary Club of Simcoe, who then directed an incredible $45,000 of that bequest to ShelterBox Canada. This enabled us to launch a nationwide memorial matching campaign from January 1st to March 31st, 2026. All Rotary Club donations made during this period were matched up to $45,000.
ShelterBox Canada is so proud to celebrate the extraordinary impact of the Perks’ Memorial Matching Campaign. The campaign mobilized 38 Rotary Clubs and raised an additional $69,529, bringing total funds raised to over $114,000.
Some highlights from the campaigns success are:
- increased impact of the original gift by 154%
- raised average Rotary Club donations by 13%
- inspired several Clubs to contribute more than once during the Rotary Year
Thanks to this remarkable collective effort, enough funding was raised to support approximately 1,100 people with emergency shelter and essential aid following disaster.
Working together in partnership with Rotary
ShelterBox began in 2000 as a Rotary Club’s millennium project in Cornwall, UK. With the support of Rotary members and clubs around the world, ShelterBox grew to become an internationally recognized, independent disaster relief organization. Since 2012, ShelterBox and Rotary have been official Project Partners in disaster relief.
Each year, Rotary helps us to go further, support more people and access areas that would otherwise be impossible to reach.
While Rotary is instrumental in our aid distributions, Rotary Clubs and Rotary members across Canada also provide essential support to raise awarness and funds for ShelterBox’s vital work.
In recognition of their dedication, ShelterBox Canada established the Hero Program to celebrate and thank Clubs for their support. Clubs are recognized in the Hero Program based on their total annual giving throughout the year. There are three Hero levels: Bronze ($1,200+), Silver ($3,600+) and Gold ($6,000+).
Last year there were 135 Hero Clubs across Canada, with an incredible 9 of those being Gold Heroes!
The success of the Perks’ Memorial Matching Campaign is a powerful reminder of what one legacy, and a united Rotary community, can achieve together.
This is Partnership in Action.
