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Announcements: The Wayside is under new management. Check out their website, very inviting. https://waysidedining.ca/ The following is a link to last weeks Zoom re Cyber Security: https://www.rotary6330.org/Stories/noon-zoom-on-cyber-security Stay tuned for more info re the Dutch tulip bulb fundraiser that is sponsored by Stratford Club. Nancy reported as our Assistant to the Governor. There was a District Zoom grant training seminar happening concurrently. Submitted by Bill Horn: ROTARY (R) – My life in it! Jan. 20, 2021 (Zoom Mtg due to Covid 19 restrictions) IN THE BEGINING – – High School, Mansfield, OH 1954-5, R student of the month; Enjoyed speakers subjects and big-wigs I met. – Aug. 1959, after grad Ohio U, I joined Gorman Rupp (G-R), the pump manufacturer – Feb. 1967, came to St. Thomas to Co-manage G-R plant. Immigration papers were handled by company Lawyer, Frank Sanders. – Frank prevailed – I joined Rotary Club, June 22, '68, now in my 53rd yr. (co-mgr, Dale Thompson was a Kiwanian, but I was predisposed to Rotary since High School. Between the 2 of us, it was fun! The clubs had joint mtg from time to time, competition twice a yr in golf & curling) First Rotary Meeting place for me – 
– Grand Central Hotel -above dinning room; very dark, dingy, I was not impressed. Membership = 50+ with about 25 class classifications. – Due to fire at GC Hotel, about '79, mtg was moved to YWCA – Y was too small, so we moved to new Sheridan Inn on Wellington St., which had a large conference room. It went down Hill! – Club met a few other places; Longhorn's, which became Samuals, on Talbot St., maybe even the Talbot Study. – K of C's then became our home. Two Rooms/// Meals catered by the Wayside, served by non other than, Trudy Kanellis. – Guess what, soon, 2002, Trudy was a Rotarian and we were meeting at The Wayside. (note: mtgs were in the evening until it was thought, due to some evenings dragging on, noon mtgs would be more convenient and better for new member. - lost some, gained some) Met on Mondays, then to Wed. – “Change-over” meetings in my time – Scott McKay's ancestral hm (Selldon), Payne's Mill, then to Frank Sanders', “Sandam”. – Summer Mtgs – often at members' homes or area parks. – Christmas Dinner – St. Thomas Golf Club or the normal met place. – Special Events – Wherever best, Churches, schools, CASO sta. Parks – Sang songs, much music – Allen Harrington, music teachers lead us, played piano. Bill Gates wrote, ”We are St. Thomas Rotary” sung at most meetings for many yrs. – Robbie Burns nights '80-'93 . . . scotch First ladies night, 1950, but first RI official female, 1991. Not certain 1st female in our club. R Club positions - – Pres & director in 1977-78 , 2000-01 – Pres and director Club Foundation – Chair: T&A (Professionals showing Travel & adventure films, slides at Parkside, '70's, 200-300 attn) – Chair: TOH ('95), M/F, Group Home, Membership – Co-chair w DR. Dick Wylie for District Conf., 1978 for club DG, Bert Thacker. Dist 633 then, originally 221 – Received Queen's award and others for 50 yrs service – working on PHF #9 Fund raisers – Many mentioned already . . . –  – First one I remember was at the Stork Club in Port, '70's.-picture above, The club had rented the second floor for a community dance with bar and snacks. It was the first and only time I was in there. At the time, I recall hearing, only 1500 could be on the second story floor for dancing. In write-ups I've read, the Stork Club was 13,000 sq ft (two story) and could accommodate 6500 people in its day. I can't recall if we made money, but it was a big room, and we did not use much of it. (Note: Fire destroyed Stork Club, '79.) 
– The “PLOWING Match ('02) – picture above T&A ('61), TOH, Horse Show, Buffalo BBQ @ airport, Bingo, Poinsettias, Raffles (new Ford Pinto, kit cars made by R -- Ray Broadbent), Bears, Fish Fry, Choc. Extrav. – Food trailer - went to many venues – Fire Muster, Cdn day, Iron horse, Horse Show, Ferguson's Halloween experience on Wellington Rd., Fly-ins, senor's day, . . . Comm. Service – -Many annual $'s to Polio, Sal Army, Christmas Care, Hospital, Adventures in Citizenship, Tomorrow's Leaders, Adopt a Highway, Exchange Students, 
– Others; Group Home Picture above, Habitat, Farmer's Night (ag ppl), Interact, M/F, Splash Pad, Memory Garden, Fantasy of Lights, Canada Trail, Grace Cafe . . . – too many to list, Thousands of $'s . . and 1000's of eyeglasses, I participated in nearly all fundraiser and community services events. I attended to two RI conventions, San Fran & New Orleans, and visited a few R meetings across N. America with business friends. Most of all, I learned about things I did not know much about, met great people, many are friends for life, too many are gone! Thank you and Rotary for good life experiences, for your friendship and for giving me an opportunity to boast without being fined! |
