Historical Highlights

Rotary International and the Rotary Club of Huntsville, Ontario, Canada

The Second Century for Rotary (2019 - 2004) 

2019 – Affordable housing project with Habitat for Humanity

2018 – Huntsville Public School playground opened

2017 – $40,000 to accessible playground at Huntsville Public School

2016 – Band-shell in Rivermill Park

2016 – 1974 – 42 years of Rotary Youth Exchange. Hosted 42 inbound from 23 countries, 42 Huntsville High School students outbound experienced 23 countries

2012 – Keith and Marta with the help of our Rotary Club brought safe water to many in Nicaragua

2010 – Main Street Park, Partnered with the Town to beautify a space on Main Street

2010 – Sway Fun swing in River Mill Park

2010 – Sponsor Group of Seven Outdoor gallery

         – Table Food Bank Support, our club has donated thousands of dollars to support this local Food bank

2009 – 2012 – Sponsored Para-sport Winter Games

– Pitman Bay Youth Park, Improvements to facilities at the Pitman Bay Youth Park on Mary Lake.

– Hospice Huntsville, Patient Lift to the new Hospice

– Rotary at Huntsville High School, 25 years of student bursaries, Serving at breakfast club, Interact, Girls at risk program, Culinary arts class serves lunch to Rotary

– International Projects: Blankets to South Africa, Guatamala Block Homes, Bicycles for Cambodia, Wheelchairs for the Caribbean, KIVA microloans

2008 – Library Teen Space, Contributed to an improved computer and reading space for high school aged youth at the Huntsville Library2006 - Two Huntsville Clubs host 200 and induct 15 into Paul Harris Fellowships at "Community Appreciation Night"

2008 – 2003 – Rotary Youth Skate Park, "Our Rotary Centennial Project" cost $365,000 - Grand opening was May 31, 2008

2012 – 2006 – 6 wells in Malawi, Africa. Bringing safe drinking water to thousands who previously spent much of their day bringing water from distant wells

2006 – Honours for 2 senior members  - Doug Stone 40 years - Jim Jordan 50 years

2006 – Huntsville morning club commits $50,000 to Chrysalis women's shelter

2005 – Huntsville's Ron Strickland is District Governor and hosts District 7010 Conference at Deerhurst Resort - Oct 13 to 16, 2005

2005 – Huntsville Club completes a $100,000 donation to the new day surgery at Huntsville Hospital, and twins with Club in Marabel, Trinidad

2004 – Rotary Club of Huntsville - Lake of Bays (Morning Club) chartered on Feb 25

2004 – Morning club partners with hospital auxiliary to host first Dragon Boat Race
 

Rotary Flourishes in Huntsville (2003 - 1996) 

2003 – Huntsville selects a Youth Skateboard Park as our Centennial Project

2003 – Rotary returns to Chicago for Centennial Convention and 

            Rotary membership reaches 1.3 million members in 32,000 clubs in 166 countries

2000 – Huntsville club builds pavilion at Avery Beach, hosts the RCMP Musical Ride 2002 - Huntsville club helps build Hunter's Bay Trail,

1998 – 1997 – Huntsville club builds the train station at Muskoka Heritage Place with Rotary room on second floor, builds hospital and school and homes in Guatemala

1995 – Huntsville club contributes $10,000 to renovations at Fairvern Nursing Home

1997 – Rotary establishes 8 centers for international peace and conflict resolution

Huntsville Grows (1995 - 1986) 

1995 – "Hello Dolly" caps four decades of Rotary Shows in Huntsville

1995 – 1986 – Rotary Club of Huntsville helps to fund new Library, Centennial Center, Fire Hall, Hospital, and WCS project in Dominican Republic, and concession at ball park

1993 – Rotary and WHO reach 500 million polio vaccinations

1990 – Rotary Club of Moscow chartered

1989 – Women join Rotary worldwide
 

Polio Eradication (1985 - 1976)

1985 – RI and the World Health Organization launch Polio Eradication program

1977 – RI convention in Tokyo draws 39,800 people

1979 – Bill Sibeon stars in "Carousel"

 

Huntsville Founds Muskoka Pioneer Village (1975 - 1966)

1973 – Bill Farmer stars in "South Pacific"

1970 – Rotary presents "The Gondoliers" in Huntsville Adults $1.75 & Kids $1.25

1967 – World Community Service program started - Now contributes $26 M annually

1966 – Rotary Club of Huntsville secures a grant and builds a new museum building on the 31 acre site purchased in 1961

 

The Early Years (1905 - 1913)

1905 – On February 23, a young attorney named Paul Harris and 3 friends in Chicago, Illinois began to "rotate" social meetings between their offices, because they missed the friendly feeling of the small towns in which they had grown up.  And "Rotary" was born.

1907 – Paul Harris and his friends did their first community service project by donating a horse to help a local doctor make his calls.

1910 – Rotary membership reached 1800 in the USA and The Rotary Club of Winnipeg became the first club outside the USA.   

 

Start of Second Fifty Years (1965 - 1955)

1965 – RI establishes the Group Study Exchange (GSE) program to promote world peace and understanding among young professionals

1962 – Youth Exchange becomes an official program to foster international understanding - now sponsoring 8000 student exchanges every year.

1961 – Jim Jordan is president and Rotary buys 31 acres to establish the Pioneer Village. Rotary runs the Pioneer Village as a committee of council until 1978

1957 – Rotary Club of Huntsville creates first historical display in a former public school

1955 – Rotary celebrates 50 years with 8500 clubs in 89 countries

 

Fellowship and Fun (1955 - 1946)

1952 – Rotary Club of Huntsville pioneers the live theatre movement with the first of the great Rotary musical shows that captivated Huntsville audiences for the next 43 years

1947 – The Ambassador Scholar program is established

1947 – Founder Paul Harris passed away

1946 – RI helps to establish UNESCO

 

Muskoka Clubs Chartered (1945 - 1934)

1945 – RI establishes relief fund for WWII victims and promotes world peace

1943 – Huntsville's HE Rice is District Governor

1934 – Rotary Club of Huntsville chartered on May 11 - Harmon E. Rice is president.

1943 – Herbert Taylor wrote the Four Way Test, world's most quoted ethics statement

1940 – Huntsville Rotary creates Rotary Beach on Lake Vernon

1936 – 1937 – Huntsville sponsors clubs in Bracebridge, Parry Sound, and Haliburton

 

Rotary Keeps Growing (1933 - 1919)

1928 – Rotary Foundation formed to do good in the world

1925 – RI membership reaches 100,000

 

 Rotary becomes Rotary International (1918 - Founding)

1918 – WW1 ends and Rotary expands into Europe, Asia, and Africa. The gear wheel is adopted as the official emblem of Rotary.

1916 – Rotarians from Britain, Canada, and USA support WW1 relief efforts.

1905 – Rotary International Founded by Paul Harris in Chicago IL USA