The Rotary Club of Brooks has been an active contributor to the community of Brooks and County of Newell for over forty-four years. 
In that time, there have been many members, and in honour of the contributions of all the Rotarians, a new bench has been installed at the Memorial Forest by Lake Stafford at the east end of the Cemetery.
The bench was inspired by the desire to memorialize one of the active members, Richard Gette, who passed away a few years ago. On the bench are two plaques. One has the Four Way Test of Rotary of the things we think, say, or do. Is it the Truth? Is it Fair to all Concerned? Will it build goodwill and Better Friendships? Will it be Beneficial to ALL Concerned?.
The second plaque is a memorial verse dedicated to all Rotarians who have contributed to the betterment of our community. We hope that this will be a visible reminder of the club’s members and a tribute to the many great things that they have done for all to enjoy.
Our very own Peace Pole was placed near the bench, which was assembled by a member with local suppliers. There are eight languages on this Peace Pole as Brooks is "The City of 100 Hellos". Unfortunately, we could not use them all but feel the ones chosen were the best representation we could decide upon.
We live in a turbulent world with conflicts in many countries and cultures. There is a Rotary International Conference of Peace in Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, September 21st , 2026 in Kalispell, Montana; it alternates years between Glacier National Park in Montana and Waterton in Alberta. We all hope and work for peace.
A Peace Pole is a monument displaying the message “May Peace Prevail On Earth” in the host country's language, often accompanied by additional languages meaningful to the local community. The concept was created in 1955 by Masahisa Goi in Japan, inspired by the devastation of World War II and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Peace Poles serve as a universal symbol of hope, encouraging reflection, dialogue, and a shared commitment to peace across cultures, faiths, and political beliefs.*
Rotary clubs worldwide actively participate in Peace Pole projects to promote peace, service, and international understanding.* There are over 200,000 Peace Poles in the world, in over 180 countries.
The Rotary Club of Brooks placed the new bench and peace pole in a local well-used park for all to use, view, and enjoy.