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Boys & Girls Club of Canada
The Rotary Club of Saint John
1914-Present
The Boys & Girls Club of Saint John, Inc. & the Saint John Rotary names are synonymous in the eyes of the elder population of Saint John. Their history is explicitly linked through decades of dedicated service to thousands of children & youth of Saint John when the Club was named: The Rotary Boys & Girls Club.
The Rotary Club of Saint John was organized May 22, 1914. It was only a short 15 years later, in July of 1929 that George J. Smith, Rotary President, challenged the Rotarians and others to support him in an effort to re-open the East End Boys Club at the former Thorne Avenue Lodge Building on the East End Grounds. The Boys Club had closed as the result of the demolition of the old Victoria Rink on City Road, which had housed the Boys Club activities at that time. The Thorne Avenue building was open with E.E. Rogers in charge. Then, a South End Club was opened at the South End Playground Association Grounds, with Miss Emma Heffner in charge.
Throughout the 1930's, the Rotarians and Rotary Anns became very involved and acted as catalysts of voluntary, moral, spiritual, vocational and financial support for the Boys Clubs and Girls Club. The Rotarians stated that they were dedicated to salvage the underprivileged boys and youth by comprehensive and systematic organization of boys camps, which the members attended. The Rotarians provided personal contact and guidance along with necessary items such as clothing, shoes and moral support. By 1937, the two Boys Clubs were fully operational with Rotary's involvement. The Rotary's involvement was evidenced by programs designed for members aged 8-18 years. Activities' included swimming meets, tag days, hobby work sessions, organized sports and socials such as Christmas parties. Unfortunately, the Boys Club programs were discontinued during the war years of 1939-1945.
During the Rotary Presidency of Gordon H. Nichol (1944-45), at the December 1944 Club meeting, the chairman of the boys work committee Eli Boyaner recommended the East End Boys Club should be placed back in operation. On motion, it was decided that the Boys Club would be the logical major project for the Rotary Club. In February 1946, the East End Club was up and running under the direction of Mr. & Mrs. William Nodwell Sr.with the sponsorship of the Rotary Club. In 1947, the East End Boys Club became the third club to be granted membership in Boys Clubs of Canada.
In the following years, 1947-1954, the Rotary Club provided volunteers, assisted with projects and supplied finances. However, during these critical days the little building was becoming dilapidated and literally bursting at the seams as overcrowding of youngsters became evident. Finally, Rotary plunged into a project in April 1954 with a goal of raising $100,000 to provide a new club building. The chairman to raise the money was Eli Boyaner. A campaign dinner at the Admiral Beatty with a charge of $100.00 a plate and an appeal on radio station CHSJ following the dinner raised $27,000. By the end of 1954, $50,000 was raised.
In April 1956, the new center was officially opened and dedicated as the Rotary Saint John Boys & Girls Club on Prince Edward Street with 600 members registered. Programs included music, woodworking, home nursing, handy crafts, metal work and various sports. Throughout the 50's and 60's the Saint John Rotary Club was instrumental in financial and voluntary support. In 1974, the Boys & Girls Club had a tragic fire. Under the General Chairmanship of William G. Bartlett, the Rotary Club spearheaded a $1.0 million financial campaign to rebuild. In June 1976, the Boys & Girls Club was reopened to a membership of more boys and girls due to the larger structure. On September 7, 1979, the mortgage was burned and Rotary International was recognized by Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada for 50 years of dedicated service to the boys & girls in Saint John through the Boys & Girls Club movement. Rotary International's President, Mr. James L. Bomar, Jr. was presented the Gold Keystone Award.
Throughout the 1980's and 1990's, the Saint John Rotary Club continued its extraordinary support of the Boys & Girls Club. The Rotarians have served as Board Members, program volunteers and provided constant support for challenges and issues facing the Boys & Girls Club for the last nine decades.
Rotary's involvement is an extensive list that could not be properly represented in this citation. However, examples of Rotary's involvement would include: 1995 establishing the Mr. A.M. Calp Bursary to assist Boys & Girls Club members with post secondary education; the provision of financial resources to have a club building PA system installed; financial support for the installation of glass basketball backboards, gym equipment, office computers, air conditioning units, big screen TV and van/bus purchases for transportation services.
In 1989, the Saint John Rotary Club celebrated its 75th Anniversary for which the Boys & Girls Club benefited by a $75,000 donation to conduct building renovations and program support. As part of the same Rotary celebration year, on June 9, 1989, R.I. President Royce Abbey, Deputy Mayor Sam Davis, and Rotary Club President William H. Teed, Q.C. renamed Brunswick Drive to Paul Harris St.
From 1997 to present, the Rotarians have provided financial support for the School District 8 Youth Apprenticeship Program.
The year 2000 saw a Rotary Building Project financial campaign raise $400,000 which was spearheaded by Rotary Co-chairs Heinz G. Schaerer and J.C. Robert Lockhart. The campaign would allow the undertaking of a major renovation project for The Boys & Girls Club. As a result of this project, the Club was able to create a Centennial daycare program, create a program room in the air space of the drama stage and add an elevator lift for disabled children and clients.
It would be a momentous task to attempt to state the total amount of financial support the Rotarians have provided to the Saint John Boys & Girls Club. Of more importance, however, is the human support for the boys and girls who call the Boys & Girls Club their home. Without the Rotary Club of Saint John, the Boys & Girls Club of Saint John would not be the entity or success that it is today. It is with the greatest pleasure from the Board of Directors to recognize the Rotary Club of Saint John as the recipient of the Silver Keystone Award of Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada.
1990 - 2000
Mr. Heinz G. Schaerer was welcomed to the Board of Directors of the Saint John Boys & Girls Club in 1990.
Heinz became very involved in the youth program operation and, as a result of his dedicated service, in 1993 was able to acquire a $15,000 donation from the Weston Foundation to purchase much needed youth program supplies and equipment as well as some building renovations. Through this money, the Club purchased modern weight training equipment, installed a 3-point line for basketball and built much needed storage cupboards in the Craft Room. Heinz served on various committees such as Program and Resource Development and was instrumental in the acquiring of Rotary support for such things as the purchasing of a new van in 1990.
Mr. Schaerer accepted the position of Second Vice President in 1996. In 1997, Heinz resigned from the Board of Directors but has remained extremely interested in the Boys & Girls Club.
Over the years, Heinz has donated many articles of toys, clothing and equipment for the Club's children, including an aerobic bike acquired from his sister in Ontario. Heinz's outstanding volunteer work is represented by his co chairmanship of the Rotary Building Project which raised $400,000 to fund major building renovations in 2000. To this date in 2001, Heinz continues to keep the Boys & Girls Club foremost in his thoughts as evidenced by the donation of $2,195 to assist in the refinishing of the gym and games room floors as well as the purchasing of much needed electronic and sports equipment for the over 1800 members of the Club.
Heinz is the Director of International Sales & Market Development for Connors Bros., Ltd. He is fluent in German and has a knowledge of Japanese as he attended the Kansi University of Foreign Studies in Osaka, Japan, 1984-85.
Heinz is a Past President of the Saint John Rotary Club, Vice President of the Rotary Senior Citizens Housing and a Red Cross Society instructor.
The Boys & Girls Club of Saint John greatly appreciates and recognizes Mr. Heinz Schaerer as a very deserving recipient of the Bronze Keystone of Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada for his long and devoted service to youth.
April 26, 2006
JC Robert Lockhart
1988 - 2006
Bronze Keystone Award
Mac Furguson (left), Past President of the Boys' & Girls' Club of Saint John presenting Robert with Bronze Keystone Award on behalf of the Boys & Girls Club of Canada.
Mr. John Charles Robert Lockhart was welcomed to the Board of Directors of The Boys & Girls Club of Saint John, Inc. in 1988.
Robert immediately assumed a leadership role on the Board of Directors by serving as Chairperson of the Public Relations Committee from 1988-1990. Mr. Lockhart accepted the position of 2nd Vice President in 1990 which he held for 2 years. From 1992-1993, he served as 1st Vice President. Robert became the 18th President of The Boys and Girls Club of Saint John, Inc. in 1994, a position he served well for two terms: 1994-1996. From 1996 to 2006, Robert has served as Past-President, Chairperson of several committees including Technology, Transportation and Governance.
Mr. Lockhart has had a long and distinguished volunteer "service above self" involvement with Rotary when he became a member in
Robert married Carolyn A. Gourley on August 22, 1970 in
The Boys & Girls Club of Saint John greatly appreciates and recognizes Mr. J.C. Robert Lockhart as a very deserving recipient of the Bronze Keystone Award of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada for long and devoted service to youth.