A trio of anniversaries being celebrated by Rotary Clubs of Huntsville

The original Rotary Club of Huntsville was sponsored by the Rotary Club of North Bay and chartered on May 11, 1934, and is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year.

Harmon E. Rice, the publisher of the Huntsville Forester, was the founding president. The Huntsville club went on to sponsor the Rotary Clubs of Bracebridge, Parry Sound, Gravenhurst, and Haliburton.

To adapt to changing needs with fewer meetings and at more convenient times, Rotary in Huntsville is now organized in three groups:

The Rotary Club of Huntsville — chartered 1934 — still meets on the first and third Wednesdays at noon at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 232.

The Rotary Club of North Muskoka was chartered in 2004 and meets on the first and third Thursdays at 7 a.m. at Community Living Huntsville. It is celebrating 20 years of service this year.

Rotary People of Action Huntsville — Chartered 2020 — meets on the second and fourth Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. at Music on Main and is celebrating four years of service.

Rotarians have a proud history of community service in Huntsville:

• The club’s initial focus in 1934 was on helping children with disabilities and disadvantages.

• Rotary created Huntsville’s first public beach, Rotary Beach (now Hutcheson Beach).

• Rotary brought live theatre to Huntsville in 1952 with 40 years of musical productions.

• Heritage projects — Muskoka Pioneer Village (1961) and the Rotary station museum (1998).

• Brought RCMP Musical Ride to Muskoka — free for all schoolchildren.

• Trans-Canada Trail projects — pavilion at Avery Beach, benches, and exercise areas.

• Built the bandshell and playground at River Mill Park.

• Rotary Peace Park to enhance the Main Street entrance to Brendale Mall.

• Health Care projects — $300,000 for the Day Surgery unit, CT scanner, and MRI machine.

• Environmental projects — spring cleanup, tree planting, community gardens.

• Annual Santa Claus parade, Dragon Boat Races, Rotary DockFest Bathtub Derby.

• Helped build and then refurbish the Chrysalis women’s shelter and Hospice Huntsville.

• Youth Projects — $400,000 Rotary Skateboard Park, healthy breakfast program, economics of staying in school, accessible playground at HPS, annual Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, annual Rotary Adventures in Citizenship and Technology, annual bursary program to help HHS graduates further their education.

• Affordable homes with Habitat for Humanity.

• Annual Perogy and Maple fests.

• Annual contributions to local food banks, and much more.

The Huntsville Rotary Clubs thank the business community for their unwavering support, without which these community projects could not have been accomplished.

International projects by Huntsville Rotarians with grants from the Rotary Foundation:

• 50 years in Rotary Youth Exchange program enabled 100 outbound/inbound students to live abroad for one year. Enhances international understanding and world peace.

• Supported the World Health Organization and Rotary International program for polio eradication.

• Hosted one-month Group Study Exchanges for young professionals from Africa, South Korea, Australia, Turkey, Russia, the U.K., Taiwan.

• Wells and water systems for safe drinking water in Nicaragua, Honduras, Malawi.

• Medical/dental services/equipment to the Caribbean and Central America.

• Wheelchairs to Cambodia, Saint Lucia, Trinidad, Antigua, Jamaica, El Salvador.

• Support for Rotary International peace scholarships.

Members of Huntsville’s three Rotary Clubs, supporters, and local dignitaries will celebrate these significant anniversaries at the Royal Canadian Legion on May 11.

To find out more about Rotary activities in Huntsville, please visit the club websites at www.rotaryclubofhuntsville.com, www.rotaryclubofnorthmuskoka.com, and www.peopleofactionhuntsville.com and come to a meeting.