Obliged to use her “gym voice” in acoustically-challenged Anderson Hall, President Nancy was effusive in her praise of the 200 volunteers essential to the success of the Club’s projects. The Club’s 23 members would achieve little without the gift of the volunteers’ time and talents.

 

Rotary volunteers play a prominent part in February’s Rotary Music Festival and in the Club’s biggest fundraiser, the Rotary Christmas Tour of Homes, and can also be seen working at the Food Trailer and at other Rotary venues. The money volunteers help raise is used both locally (such as sending children to summer camp) and internationally (in the fight to eradicate polio). That is why it is so important for the Club to say thank-you to these generous people.

 

To help in the celebration, there were two cakes (one pictured above), coffee and lemonade. And all the volunteers could take a plant home with them.

 

There was also music. The Ukes of Hazzard, a group of about 20-30 ukulele players, mostly from St. Thomas, put smiles on the faces of their audience with instrumental and vocal renditions of familiar songs, mostly from the 1960’s. Songs like “Happy Together.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Lack of years as a Rotary Club did not stop the St. Thomas Rotarians from taking on the organization and hosting of the district conference in April, 1956. Some 400 Rotarians from both sides of the border attended sessions held at the Grand Central Hotel and the St. Thomas-Elgin Memorial Community Centre, and the governor’s banquet at the Stork Club in Port Stanley. Guest speakers at this event were A.H.J. Lovink, Netherlands ambassador to Canada; K.M. Knapp, of Pittsburgh, representing Rotary International President A.Z. Baker; A.K. Charlesworth, district governor, and Dr. Flora Sifton, principal of Alma College, St. Thomas.”

 

 

We have not been able to determine what circumstances led to the District 221 Conference being held in St. Thomas in 1956 inasmuch as the District Governor, A.K. (Ken) Charlesworth, was from Wiarton. * Nevertheless, the young Club (chartered in 1950), spent months planning the two-day Conference, held Sunday and Monday (not Easter Monday), April 15 and 16. There was a special program for Rotary-Annes. They had lunch at the Grand Central Hotel where they were addressed by Dr. Sifton and were then taken on a tour of Pinecroft Potteries in Aylmer. There was a Sunday service at First United Church with a “special message” from the Rev. R.B. Craig, himself a member of the Rotary Club of St. Thomas. And there was a celebrity guest speaker at the Governor’s Banquet on Monday: Blair Fraser, Ottawa editor of Maclean’s magazine.

 

 

In the photo (above), Frank Sanders, conference chairman, is second from left, and Frank G. McDonald, President of the Rotary Club of St. Thomas, is second from right. DG Ken Charlesworth, illuminated, is third from left. Both Franks were Charter members of the St. Thomas Club (Frank Sanders was Charter President). Note the international flags in the background, a feature of every District Conference.

 

In the photo (above), Frank Sanders, conference chairman, is second from left, and Frank G. McDonald, President of the Rotary Club of St. Thomas, is second from right. DG Ken Charlesworth, illuminated, is third from left. Both Franks were Charter members of the St. Thomas Club (Frank Sanders was Charter President). Note the international flags in the background, a feature of every District Conference.

 

Alongside the Rotary news in the April 16, 1956 Times-Journal was an article headed “800 Children Get Polio Shots in First Week.” The story explained how “[a]pproximately 800 children attending elementary schools in St. Thomas and Elgin County received shots of Salk polio vaccine in the first week of the vaccination program.” It’s ironic to think how in the years that followed so many children from around the world received polio vaccine, thanks to Rotary, and how polio commands so much of our attention today (as it did at the 2017 District Conference in May), as we move ever closer to its global eradication.

 

 

WILLKOMMEN, BIENVENUE, WELCOME….President Nancy welcomed many Rotary volunteers and Rotarians and their partners to the evening’s festivities. These included Visiting Rotarians Helen Campbell from the Railway City Rotary Club and Barb Warnock from the Aylmer Rotary Club. It was very nice to see Pat Martyn back at the Club and “feeling good.”

 

The Club’s annual Changeover Meeting will take place next week on Monday, June 26 at Merriview, home of Brenda and Mike Merrifield. Brenda and Mike have graciously opened the grounds of their property for this event. Merriview is the former Sandam and is located at 6331 Fairview Road. It’s on the west side of Fairview, south of Fruit Ridge Line and just north of Sparta Line. There will be signs at the head of the drive. Time is 5:30 p.m. (social) for 6 p.m. (dinner). Price is the same as last year, $25. While steak is preferred by most diners, if you would like a chicken or vegetarian dinner, please let Trudy know (the price is the same). Let Trudy know if you are coming and if you are bringing guests. Malcolm Rust adds: “Dress code is smart casual, summer attire. The men do not wear ties!” We are usually joined by the Aylmer Rotary Club and the St. Thomas Interact Club. DG Diane Chantler is expected to preside over the installation of the three club boards. In the event of significant rainfall, the proceedings will be shifted to Oak Hall in Plains Baptist Church.

 

Here is Trish Shouldice under the new canopy at the Gay Lea Dairy Museum last Saturday (June 17). Trish says that 111 meals were served, and an uncounted number of individual items. They stayed until 6 p.m. and there was no rain! Notice the absence of the Food Trailer. The Food Trailer, however, will be at Pinafore Park on Canada Day (July 1) and at “Day Out with Thomas [the Tank Engine]” July 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23, behind the Memorial Arena at 80 Wilson Avenue.

 

Trish noted that there would be no meetings of the Club on July 3, 17 and 24 and August 7 and 21. The Club will meet at the Wayside at its regular time on July 10 with Malcolm Rust in the chair. For details of other summer meetings and events, be sure to check the Club’s website: www.rotarystthomas.org. There was no Fine Master, neither was there a 50/50 draw, nor were there Happy Fins at tonight’s event.