The First 30 Years - 1966-1996
A Brief History of the
Rotary Club of Kingston-Frontenac
Celebrating Thirty Years of "Service Above Self’
Chartered May 4, 1966
May 29, 1996
FOREWORD
To help commemorate this special event we have compiled this very brief history of the Club and supplemented it with a few selected pictures and mementos from Club activities over the years.
It is impossible however, to condense thirty years of Club history into a few written pages and a few pictures without having to omit so many of the things that represent the true character of the Club and its contribution to both the world and local communities. May that character and spirit of "Service Above Self" shine forth in our celebration this evening.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
On behalf of myself and the Kingston-Frontenac Rotary Club I would like to thank all the Club members who helped in so many ways in the compilation of this historical record. Their assistance in providing archival records, and adding personal comments on the early days of the Club were of immeasurable value in my attempt to capture the "spirit" of the Club over the years. Special thanks to Bryan Smith of DuPont Canada Inc. and to fellow Rotarian Gord Lindsay for helping with the formatting and the laser printing.
Charter Members, Joe Watts, Roy Ford, Bernie Breen and early Past-President Roy Holloway also provided assistance in reviewing the drafts and adding personal comments which did so much to make my task not only possible but also very enjoyable. However, I must assume sole responsibility for any errors or omissions which may have occurred in my attempts to condense thirty years of history into such an abbreviated document.
Clay Elston
Club Historian, May 1996
THE FOUNDING OF THE
KINGSTON-FRONTENAC ROTARY CLUB
In the middle sixties, Rotarians from District 7040 and the Kingston Rotary Club realized that the time was ripe to expand the outreach of Rotary in the greater Kingston Area. They felt that a new Club, meeting in the evening, would be a logical extension to the activities of Rotary in this area. Strongly supporting this expansion of Rotary to Kingston Township were District Governor Doug Warner, Kingston Rotary Club President Bruce Jackson and Kingston Club member Bill Westlake. On our display board this evening we have the original letter that Doug Warner wrote to Bill Westlake in January 1966 regarding the new Club. An excerpt from this letter is given below since it expresses so very nicely the enthusiasm that Doug felt at this happy event.
".....Congratulations you old salesman I knew you would come through! It must have given you a wonderful thrill and I know the majority of your members will be most thrilled with the outcome.
I have just mailed Bruce a set of forms regarding the "Territorial Limits" that you and your secretary, Robert Hamilton must complete, sign and send to R.I.
Please extend my hearty congratulations to the men in your new Club......"
Rotarian Bill Westlake, of the Kingston Rotary Club, was indeed . the prime mover in the formation of the Kingston-Frontenac Rotary Club and through his efforts a select group of twenty five, new "Rotarians" were recruited to form the nucleus of the club. In the preliminary organizational meetings, Ray Heston Cook, a Kingston Township dentist was elected President and Ken Smith was elected Vice-President. Royd Sneddon was Secretary, Jack Bailey was Treasurer, and the first Club Directors were Ken Robinson, Jerry Stevens, Roy Ford, Neil Chamberlain and Bernie Breen.
The new Kingston-Frontenac Rotarians held their first "official" meeting on February 23, 1966. On March 23rd, 1966 the first issue of the Club Bulletin made its appearance and the Club had chosen the then "fashionable" Prokops Steak House on Bath Road as their weekly meeting place. A copy of the first Club Bulletin is on our display board this evening.
The fledgling Club held its official Charter Night on Wednesday, May 4, 1966 in a gala event at the La Salle Hotel (now the La Salle Mews) on Bagot Street. A copy of the Program for the Charter Presentation is on the Display Board and this program also gives the names of the Charter Members of the Club.
Of the original Charter Members from thirty years ago, three are still residing in the Kingston Area and continue to play a very active and guiding role in the Club today. Currently, this select group of Kingston-Frontenac Rotarians is composed of Bernie Breen, Roy Ford, and Joe Watts.
Charlie Mooney, another Charter Member, just recently passed away and it is our deep regret that Charlie is not present to celebrate this anniversary with us.
When Prokop's was closed a few years later the Club moved to the Cataraqui Golf Club for a short period but were again forced to move when that building was damaged by fire. Cataraqui was followed by short stays at the Kingston Yacht Club, the Amherstview Golf Club, the La Salle Motel, and then a fairly long stint at "Our Place" on Bath Road (subsequently Zorba's and now Amorela's) until Our Place decided to limit their restaurant services and we happily moved to our present location at the Ambassador in the early 80's.
The Club Archives include some pictures and other mementos of the early Club meetings and the many social and fund raising activities, which from the beginning, were the hallmark of the Club and led to a very close fellowship between the members. The fact that the Club met in the evening, when the members were only too happy to relax after a busy day at work was probably the main catalyst which allowed the members to stay after the "official" Club meeting was over, get to know each other on a more personal basis, have an extra pint of ale or engage in a spirited game of cards. There are few Clubs in Rotary which can equal the good fellowship which was the hallmark of the early days of the Kingston-Frontenac Club and which continues as a Club tradition today.
From the original 25 charter members, the Club prospered and by the late 1970's had about fifty seven active members, Due to business transfers and retirements the Club experienced a drop of membership in the mid-eighties and early nineties but we are now in a more active growth period and we currently have about forty four members. In 1995 we finally gave up our all male status when the first of our four women members were inducted into the Club. It was a move long overdue and it has done much to strengthen the club and our ability to serve the true objects of Rotary.
AVENUES OF SERVICE
Over the course of its history the Kingston-Frontenac Rotary Club has had an important and far-reaching impact on the life of our local community and in countries around the world.
It is not our intention in this short Club history to list all the individual projects undertaken in the last thirty years but rather to discuss only broad areas where our Club has been active.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Community Service has traditionally been one of the principal avenues of service for the Kingston-Frontenac Rotary Club and it has spanned many diverse areas.
One of the main, on-going community projects over the last 28 years has been our strong support for seniors at the Fairmount Home. In addition to our monthly entertainment program, mentioned below, we have also donated about $35,000 for a number of capital projects. These have included a well appointed hot tub area with special facilities for the disabled, a bus for the handicapped and two large gazebo's for the outdoor park area of the Home.
Another extremely rewarding involvement at Fairmount has been the musical concerts and bingos which we sponsor at the Home on a monthly basis. This provides one of the main areas of entertainment for the residents. In addition to the monthly concerts, the Club also hosts the annual Fairmount Christmas Party where a Club member plays the role of Santa Claus and the Club provides a personal gift for all the residents. Prime movers in this area over the years have been Eric Truman, Joe Watts, Charlie Mooney and Joe Vickers. Eric has long carried the main organizational role in this very successful program and deserves recognition for a job well done! It is hoped that this fine program will be continued in the years to come.
Our aid to the handicapped and underprivileged over the years has also given the club a strong sense of purpose in the community. A very successful community event in the late 60's and early 70's was the annual Fishing Derby for mentally challenged children. For this event the fish "took over" the swimming pool at Roy Ford's Green Acres Motel. It was always very well received and the kids enjoyed it immensely. Our display table tonight includes a Whig Standard report on this project and a picture of the fishermen and hosts in action.
Among other capital projects which were community and youth oriented were the grants the Club made in the late 1960's and early 1970's to help with fund raising for the building of "Centre 70" at the corner of Days and Front Rds. In March 1973, another grant was made to Kingston Township in order to equip the kitchen at their new Cataraqui Community Centre. These grants were followed a few years later by others which provided funds for installation of timing clocks (about $15,000) at Centre 70 and at the Ernestown arena. Our archives also tell of the major grant we made for a physiotherapist education project at K.G.H., and of a major grant to St. Mary's of the Lake Hospital to help with the equipping of their Minor Surgery room. .
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The Centre '70 project was highlighted in July of 1970 when the Club sponsored a gala picnic at the Kingston Airport. It was called a "Thank You Day" to honour all the residents of the Township for their support in fund raising for the new recreation centre, now called Centre '70. It was a day long festivity and featured a wide range of activities from sky diving to marching bands- with hot dogs and soft drinks for only 5 cents each! The Whig Standard article about the picnic and a picture of the event are also on our display table.
A more recent, and particularly moving experience was the aid -our Club was able to give to a teenage boy of very limited financial means who had a severe dental and jaw problem. Our Club arranged with an orthodontist (for $6000) to correct his dental and appearance problems and in this way we were able to change the course of this young man's life. When he spoke to our Club after the surgery all the members felt great pride in this small humanitarian gesture which meant so much to him and his family.
On our display board we included a copy of the program for the Oldtimers' Hockey game the Club sponsored in 1970 for the Centre 70 project and the Church Athletic League. We have put tabs on two pages which you should find especially interesting- a message from Ron Andress, the Club president that year and a note about the Club's own hockey player, Joe Watts.
In 1977, an International Plowing Match was held in the Kingston area and again the Club was front and centre in the eyes and hearts of local residents when the Club volunteered to operate a refreshment booth. Due to the incessant rains the grounds were a sea of mud - but I understand the refreshment booth was a welcome haven where the foot weary visitors could get a welcome smile, and a joke or two about the weather as well as nourishment for the body.
On an annual basis the Club has provided monetary awards for deserving students in the Township High Schools and also support local students in Rotary District programs such as Adventures in Citizenship and RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award). These programs fall into the Vocational Service area and are discussed in further detail in that section.
One of our most satisfying projects over the years has been our contribution to the establishment of Rotary Park. This major project was initiated in the late 1970's when through the efforts of the Club members we were able to transform a vacant piece of land in the Township into a park which will be a lasting source of enjoyment to the residents not only of the Township but to all the people of the greater Kingston area. This project focused the activities of the Club for a number of years and involved not only lengthy negotiations with Government agencies and a heavy financial commitment of our limited resources but also the sweat and hard physical effort of all the Club members in clearing the land of surplus trees and bushes, building the graveled walkways, laying the sod and clearing the beach area of accumulated debris etc. Since the land was our "private" property during the several years of the planning and construction period we also were able to have a pint of ale and many hours of good fellowship without running afoul of government liquor laws!
Although all the Club members contributed to the success of the venture, special mention should be made of the efforts of Martin Reid, Joe Watts, Bliss Kelly and Ken Jeffery. Martin was one of the driving forces behind the Club undertaking and completing the project and a plaque in his honour is set in the fireplace of the Park pavilion. Joe Watts was Park Project Chairman throughout the planning and construction phases and acted as an "on site" foreman during the construction itself. Bliss Kelly was his right hand man and he and Joe were on site for countless hours during the construction period in order to ensure that things were proceeding on schedule.
Ken Jeffery was also a key player in the Rotary Park project. When Ken Jeffery became Club President in 1980 the Park was at the critical "fish or cut bait" stage. Through Ken's strong leadership, final details were ironed out, interim financing was arranged with Don Mowatt's help and Joe Watts was authorized to proceed full tilt with the final site preparation and construction phases of the project. Such items included design and construction of the pavilion, ordering and installation of the play equipment etc. Ken never asked the members to do anything he wasn't prepared to do himself - so he personally laid a lot of sod!
The official opening was held on June 18, 1981, and was indeed a gala affair! Thanks to Club member Tony Doherty, it was highlighted by the presence of Wintario, who held one of their weekly draws in the Park. It was an enthusiastic crowd of dignitaries and area residents who knew they had a fine new park even if they weren't lucky enough to become millionaires in the bargain. To add to the festivities the Club had set up a beer tent for the adults and provided hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream and other goodies for the children. The sweet smell of success was in the air that day and long into the evening! Some pictorial mementos of this historic occasion are on the display board.
In the years immediately following the opening, Rotary Park was the site of annual community picnics hosted by the Club. A highlight of the picnics was the Bathtub races in which local dignitaries and guests from out of town raced their high speed tubs around the designated course in Collins Bay. Flora Macdonald was almost convinced to give up her day job and take up boat racing! Scenes from some of these races are also included on the display board.
In total, the Club successfully raised about $125,000 for the completion of Rotary Park. These funds included those directly contributed from the Club as well as matching grants from agencies such as Wintario.
During these years the Club was also involved fairly extensively in a number of other community related activities. Pancake breakfasts were the order of the day and in 1980 the Club sponsored a float in the Xmas parade with the Gadabout choir onboard.
Cooperating with other organizations to raise money for charity has also been a facet of our community involvement over the years. The Club has made strong commitments every year to such events as the Easter Seal Telethon and the
Salvation Army Blitz Night and their Xmas Kettle fund raiser. Although a number of Rotary Clubs in the area participated in the annual Easter Seal Telethon, the Kingston-Frontenac Club played a key role thanks to the dedicated efforts of a number of Club members. Bernie Breen for example, served in the very important role of Chairman of the Corporate Donations Committee in 1983. Bud Cross was our long-standing member on the Telethon organizing committee and with the help of many other volunteers from the ranks of our Club the team always did a superb job. Each year, our share of the moneys raised has been donated to Camp Merrywood, a camp for crippled children in the Kingston area. .
In our youth support activities the Club also played a key role in providing major organizational funds for Kairos, a local educational and support group dedicated to helping young people escape from the downward spiral of drug abuse. Former Club member Herb Weber was a major player in this program. .
In 1991 the Township of Kingston awarded the Kingston-Frontenac Rotary Club a Civic Award for "Outstanding Contribution to the Community"
INTERNATIONAL AND ROTARY SERVICE
Although the Club's main avenue of service has traditionally been community oriented, especially toward seniors and youth, there has also been a strong commitment to International and Rotary Service.
In 1971, Royd Sneddon and Roy Holloway headed a high spirited Club delegation to the District Convention in Lake Placid and with much hoopla and fanfare made a successful bid to act as hosts for the 1973 District Convention. The Convention was held on Queens' campus and Past-President Ken Robinson was
Conference Chairman. Over 400 Rotarians and spouses attended the Conference and the event was a great success. The following is an excerpt from the District Governor's letter to the Club following the Convention and was addressed to Bernie Breen who was then Club President.
"The Album of Remembrance which was presented to me by Past-President Ken, on behalf of the Committee will always remind me of the finest Conference I have ever had the opportunity to attend - thanks to the Kingston Frontenac Rotary Club. All of you will always be my very warm and cherished friends."
In 1988, when Allan Wale of the Kingston Rotary Club was District Governor, Kingston was again the site of the District Conference. Although the Kingston Club was the official host on this occasion, our Club played strong supporting roles on the organizing and working committees.
International has involved four main avenues of service. The first is the direct Club support of various projects in the third world.
A classic example was our on going support over many years of Father Petrin's mission in India. Every year he would write the Club a letter and fill us in on his situation. Other activities in the third world and in developing countries included our donation to a community in Ghana to give them the capital resources to build a well. Through initiatives of this type we were able to triple the capital grant by matching donations from Rotary International and CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency). Other projects of this type include our assistance in building a library in Columbia, in digging a community well and supporting services for a village in Columbia and in assisting in the construction of a water purification system in Harre, Zimbabwe. In this area of service, "Mr. Rotary", Joe Vickers was very active and dedicated. He served on International Service committees at the District level for a number of years and made a strong contribution in this and related areas.
More recently, Gord Lindsay has grasped the torch and has been instrumental in spearheading Club projects for providing beds to a needy hospital in Jamaica and for arranging for a large shipment of children's books to needy children in that area. Gord is also a multiple winner of the Rotarian of the Year Award, having achieved this honour in 1988 and again in 1994.
In a somewhat grander scale we take pride in the fact that we were a strong contributor to the Rotary International Program of "Polio Plus" which raised several hundred million dollars to fund the immunization of children against polio in less developed countries around the world. This world-wide program has been a great success and something which all Rotarians are justly proud. Our Club contributed $18,000 to this initiative and received commendation from the District for our strong support.
The second avenue of International Service supported strongly by our Club has been in the area of Rotary Ambassadorial Fellowships. Joe Vickers was active in this area for many years, served on District Selection Committees and personally hosted a number of foreign students studying in the Kingston area. Like Joe Vickers, Fred Richmond has also been very active in this area of service for a number of years and serves currently as our Club representative on the District Selection Committee. Each year, our District sends at least one, and often two or three university students abroad for study and during that time many foreign students have studied in Canada at various District universities. Many of these students have chosen Queen's University in Kingston as their place of study so that our Club has had the privilege of meeting these students on a personal basis during their stay in Kingston. Fred Richmond has personally hosted two of these students while they were studying at Queen's. Both Joe and Fred deserve a sincere commendation for their dedication to this important area of Rotary service. In addition, Fred also maintains his record of perfect attendance at weekly Rotary meetings, is a Paul Harris Fellow and has received the Rotarian of the Year Award in 1987 and again in 1990. Well done Fred!
Group Study Exchange can be considered the third area of International Service and over the years our Club, in cooperation with the other Rotary Clubs in Kingston, have been hosts for a number of Group Study Groups. This chance to share our city, our Rotary Club meetings and our homes with young business people from other parts of the world has indeed been very rewarding and does much to strengthen our appreciation of the "global village" and the awards to be realized by the sharing of talents on a world-wide basis.
Our fourth avenue of International Service is the Student Exchange Program and our Club is preeminent in our District for our commitment to this area of service. Our direct involvement in the Student Exchange Program got underway in the late eighties under the Presidency of Larry Forster. A nucleus of dedicated members, Larry Forster, Joe Watts, Joe Vickers, Jim Harkness, Jack Chong, Fred Richmond, Gerry Brake and Arnie Chestnut were some of the key participants in the program and with strong Club support we have sent about eight students abroad and received an equal number in Kingston. In 1991 Jack Chong received our Rotarian of the Year Award for his outstanding contribution in this area. This exchange program has been an extremely rewarding one for the Club and one in which we take great pride. Each year, our exchange student becomes an adopted son/daughter not only to the host families but to other members as well. It is a special occasion for everyone on the nights that our exchange student shares a Rotary meeting with us and we get to know them personally. It is hoped that other members will continue the tradition of serving as host families and we will be able to continue the program in the years to come.
In addition to the Student Exchange Program mentioned above, several Club members have actively participated in the District sponsored Summer Student Exchange. In this program, groups of students from various countries spent their summers in Canada as hosts of various families in the District. Roy Holloway, Don David and Howard Bradfield were key contributors in this avenue of service.
VOCATIONAL SERVICE
Although Vocational Service has not been a major thrust in our Club we have maintained a continuing commitment in this area.
We have for a number of years maintained scholarships at the local high schools in order to reward academic and overall excellence in student achievement and in recent years the number and value of these awards have been increased. A Club member traditionally attends the awards ceremony at each school in order to meet the award winner and to extend our congratulations on their achievement. These awards are very well received by both the teaching staff and the students. Over the years we have also participated in Careers Day at the local high schools.
In recent years a number of District and national programs for student development have been developed and our Club has participated in a number of these programs. The Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA), held at various District sites for a week each spring has been very well received and hearing our candidate report to our Club about their week of leadership training is always very inspiring.
Other programs that we have been sending a local student to are Adventures in Citizenship and Adventures in Technology. These programs, held in Ottawa, present an excellent opportunity to see how government and technology actually work and to meet other students from across the country and to share discussions with them.
CLUB SERVICE
Although Club Service is involved in almost every aspect of Club activities it is probably most recognized for four things, membership development, Club programs and special events, and the publication of the Rota Teller. The writing and publication of the Club bulletin, The Rota Teller, is a separate entity within the broad framework of Club Service and merits special mention. Editing the Rota Teller is a very time consuming, "labour of love" which represents the extremely critical bond which holds the members together and keeps us informed of Club activities. Major contributions in this area were made by Gerry Roney, Fred Schonberger, Larry Forster, Bud Cross, Bill Murray, Fred Richmond, Lou Orbane, Gord Mylks, Gord Lindsay and our current editor, Don Hart. Without the exceptional contributions and talents of the many full and part-time Rota Teller Editors throughout the years our Club would not exist. These dedicated Bulletin Editors deserve our most heartfelt appreciation for a job well done.
Membership development has already been referred to under the earlier section of Club history and we are currently "on a roll" with respect to increasing the number of active club members, both men and women. We have every reason to believe that we will again raise Club membership to the fifty - sixty member level in the not too distant future.
Over the years our Club has worked hard to make our programs both interesting and informative and the overall mix of guest speakers has been excellent. We get a chance to hear people from all walks of life give us the inside track on matters of community and national interest. In the early days of the Club they had the pleasure to hear that great orator, John Diefenbaker address a special meeting of the Club. No matter what your political persuasion, old John had the ability to keep you entertained.
Entertainment does not always come from outside however. Over the years, our Sergeants-At-Arms have contributed greatly to the overall good spirit of the Club. In the category of being highly dedicated Rotarians and having a great sense of humour we have two long-service nominees for Oscars, Roy Holloway and Bill Murray. You have made it fun guys! Bill also sets a record for his service to the Club, having achieved the Rotarian of The Year award no fewer than four times.
Another dependable source of entertainment over the years has been our Club sing song. Eric Truman and charter member, Joe Watts along with the ad hoc K-F Choir have been the main source of our musical frivolity and it always makes the evening a bit more fun when they are on deck.
As mentioned earlier, a dedication to Rotary, good fellowship and a predilection for high jinks were always the hallmarks of the Club. Over the years, the installation of the new President and his Directors at the end of June has always been a time of great merriment as well as a time of reflection over the accomplishments of the past year and plans for the future. Traditionally, the "out with the old and in with the new" celebration has been orchestrated by the Past Presidents and it has taken as many different forms as there are past presidents. It is always entertaining and hilarious although some years must take an "Oscar" for originality, humor and careful planning. Apparently, in 1971, when Roy Holloway was inducted as President, and Royd Sneddon was being "disposed of" they had a mini parade, starting at their meeting place at Prokops, and then proceeding to the neighboring Frontenac Mall where they made a grand loop before returning to Prokops. There was a marching pipe band no less, with good old incoming President Roy and outgoing President Royd sitting in the back seat of a convertible amidst a bevy of pretty young women. Some fellows have all the luck!
On our display board there is a picture of esteemed President Roy in the convertible - but regretfully it is impossible to capture on film the spontaneity of the moment and the good natured heckling of his fellow Rotarians. We don't have the space to relate the details of the other 29 inductions but if you want a good laugh some time ask a Past President about his coming and going from Presidential life!
In the special events department, the Kingston-Frontenac Rotary Club has traditionally been second to none. From the founding days of the Club the social and entertainment pattern was soon established and the Club bulletins over the years make reference to the good times enjoyed at the various Club functions. In the summerime, the early Club bulletins refer to the fun and good fellowship enjoyed by the members and their partners at the annual golf tournament, the annual joint barbecue with the Alexandria Bay Club at the Rift Camp, and Club barbecues at Rotary Park and at various members homes or on some of the islands in the area. For many years, a highlight of the summer season was the barbecue Ken and Jean Smith's cottage at Buck Lake.
From the earliest days of the Club, entries in the Club Bulletin during the winter season refer to many annual events enjoyed by members and their partners.
In large measure, most of these events have been carried on, although sometimes in somewhat modified form. These differences sometimes reflect changes in the attitudes and interests of the Club members themselves and in other instances they also reflect changes in society as a whole. In the 60's, 70's and 80's dancing to a live orchestra was the "in thing" to do when you wanted to have a real bash and a rollicking good time and the Club enjoyed it to the hilt. In the golden days of the CFL the Grey Cup game was always an occasion for the members and their partners to get together for a great afternoon.
WAYS AND MEANS
One of the first challenges of the fledgling Kingston-Frontenac Rotary Club was to develop sources of income in order to meet their Rotary obligations to the community and abroad.
The sale of Rotary Peanuts, Xmas bouquets, raffle tickets and sponsorship of special events was soon supplemented by the novel idea. of a "Strike it Rich" night in 1971. The latter idea, the brainchild of Past-President Ken Robinson, turned out to be a winner and it still remains as a major source of Club funds.
In 1979-80, at the time of our Rotary Park project the Club had a significant debt to retire but this obligation was eased very considerably when the Ways and Means Director, Don Harrison got us a spot on the newly opened Bingo Palace on Gardiners Road. Like the Strike it Rich venture this turned out to be a winner and continues to this day as a very good source of income.
In recent years, thanks to Lorne Wilson's cooperation, the Club has been able to sell Nevada tickets at his Rendezvous Coffee Houses and Oscar's Delis and this has provided us with a further source of funds.
The years to come will provide further challenges in fund raising but with the dedicated efforts of all Club members we have every reason to be confident that we will meet and expand our ongoing commitments to all the Rotary Avenues of Service.
ERLE ALLAN TRUST FUND
THE KINGSTON-FRONTENAC ROTARY ANNES
From the founding of the Kingston-Frontenac Rotary Club until the late 80's the wives of the Club members played a very important role as members of the Kingston-Frontenac Rotary Annes. The Rotary Annes supported and extended the community outreach and the social aspects of the Club in many very important ways. Their own meetings were held monthly and provided them an opportunity to plan their charitable activities and to get to know each other on a more personal basis.
Over the years their dedicated efforts provided significant contributions to a very wide variety of community and other projects. Examples of some of their projects were the annual Salvation Army Christmas Baskets, donations to Interval House, Hospice Kingston, The Food Bank, Palliative Care, Hemophilia Program, Gifts for Fairmount, the Adult Literacy Program, and the decorating of a sitting room at the KGH Blood Clinic.
The Rotary Annes also organized Xmas concerts and social events etc. both in support of their own projects and in conjunction with the Club activities. One of their major fund raising projects was the compilation and publishing of "Rotary Annes Favourite Recipes" during the presidency of Betty Jeffery in 1981. This attractive and popular book was lavishly illustrated with artistic designs by former Club member the late Fred Schonberger. Proceeds of this project were donated to help finance Rotaty Park.
The support given to the Club and to the community by the Rotary Annes is greatly missed and they should be justifiably proud of their many projects over the years. To help fill this void and keep partners as fully involved in Rotary as possible the Club has further increased the number of Club events where partners are invited to join the members in the evening's program.
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