Historic Overview

Club History
 
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 Past to Present

 

  • 1914 Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Halifax, NS. Organized 22 May, & chartered 1 August with 18 members. Saint John Rotary was the 126th club formed in the world.
  • 1915 1st Annual meeting with 59 members, and average attendance of 63%.
  • 1921 Club raised $3,000 - Boy Scouts; $11,000 - Salvation Army; $7,000 - War relief for European Children.
  • 1924 Strong support for Youth Centre, Thorne Avenue.
  • 1933 Support for Crippled Children's Camp.
  • 1934 Juvenile Court envisioned by Rotarians for Saint John.
  • 1935 Rotary President Dr. R. Collins first President United Fund of Greater Saint John.
  • 1952 Rotary inaugurated Easter Seals for Crippled Children's Fund in Saint John Area.
  • 1954 Saint John Club Incorporated by PDG Benjamin R. Guss, Q.C..
  • 1955 Archdeacon Alban Bate dedicated $100,000 for building of Boys & Girls Club at its current location, our Club's project to recognize RI's 50th anniversary.
  • 1956 The Boys and Girls Club of Saint John opens.
  • 1962 Rotary Camp Chapel, GrandLake, built - a Club Project.
  • 1965 Rotary Senior Citizens Housing Complex constructed - 20 apartments; Cost $159,000.
  • 1965 Rotary Boys Choir conception, the dream of Honorary Rotarian Dr. "Len" Morgan.
  • 1975-1986 Saint John Rotarian "Dunc" Wathen built our Rotary District from 21 to 50 clubs which became a world record.
  • 1976 Rebuilt The Boys and Girls Club of Saint John after disastrous fire - Raised $1.0 million.
  • 1979 Dinner 1000 with RI President James Bomar in attendance to express thanks for Rotary's 51 years of Service.
  • 1982 Rotary Youth Art Exchange with Tokyo-Shinagawa Rotary Club, Japan.
  • 1984 Canada Summer Games - Pledge $50,000 for fencing around stadium.
  • 1984 Our first Rotary Youth Exchange Student from Brazil - Verner Antonio.
  • 1985 Rotary Admiral Beatty Complex Project. Rotary played leadership role & partner with three levels of government in the restoration. - Raised $350,000.
  • 1988 Contribution of $75,000 to the Saint John Boys & Girls Club to recognize our Club's 75th anniversary.
  • 1989 Saint John Rotary celebrates 75th Anniversary with RI President Royce Abbey in attendance.
  • 1989 RI President Royce Abbey & Deputy Mayor Sam Davis renamed Brunswick Drive to Paul Harris Street, which accommodates the entrance to the Saint John Boys & Girls Club.
  • 1989 Provincial Cardiac Care Unit - Pledged $50,000.
  • 1991 Rotary Court construction - 24 units of mixed income senior and small family housing - Contribution $100,000.
  • 1996 Pedway Project built at Saint John Regional Hospital - Raised $750,000.
  • 1998 Teen Resource Center - Contribution $5,000.
  • 1998 Rotary Children’s Art Exchange with Tokyo-Shinagawa Rotary Club, Japan.
  • 1999 Donated $6,000 over three years to an International project in Ghana.
  • 1999 Donated $5,000 to send children to the Rotary Camp at Grand Lake.
  • 1999 Donated $500 to the Saint John Police Department for their DARE program in the schools.
  • 1999 Club undertakes major $400,000 fund raising campaign to renovate the Boys and Girls Club of Saint John - Rotary Commits $75,000.
  • 2000 Donated $1,300 as financial support for the Belfast Children's Vacation to Saint John.
  • 2000 Formation of the Women's Probus Club of Saint John, May 16th, 2000.
  • 2000 In August, Rotary made its third and final payment of $25,000 toward Rotary's Boys' & Girls' Club building renovation project, one year ahead of schedule.
  • 2001 The format of the Rotary Black Tie Dinner changed dramatically to once again be Rotary's social fund raiser of the year. Attendance was over 250, with Jeoff Britt as Master of Ceremonies while Jessica Rhaye of Hampton performed.
  • 2001 On June 16th, the official ribbon cutting ceremony took place for the Rotary renovation project completion at the Boy's & Girls Club. Individual Rotarians personally contributed $23,000.
  • 2001 Annual donation of $1,000 to D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education).
  • 2001 Donated $500 to Junior Achievement Greater Saint John Inc. in support of Business Basics Program and "Economics of Staying in School".
  • 2002 Donated $500 to the Imperial Theatre "Summer Arts Ete" program.
  • 2002 Camp Rotary - Funding for purchase of 12 chairs $480.
  • 2002 Annual donation of $1,300 to Belfast Children's Vacation Project.
  • 2002 Donated $1,000 to McHappy Days in support of The Saint John Boys & Girls Club.
  • 2003 Pledged $15,000 over three years to Boys' and Girls' Club roof replacement project.
  • 2003 Spent $5,000 in support of Rotary Youth Exchange programs.
  • 2003 Club members pledged over $21,000 to RI's Polio eradication program, one of the highest commitments in our District.
  • 2004 On Jan., 6th Rotary announced its Rotary International Centennial project to be the construction of a $2.0 million Teen Resource Center for youth. Rotary commits $500,000.
  • 2004 Donated $1000 to the Saint John Learning Exchange.
  • 2004 Donated $400 to Kelly Munroe & Cynthia Shaw for school supplies in Guatemala.
  • 2005 President Michael Schulze hosts Club's 1st President's barbeque.
  • 2005 Donated $1000 to Ronald McDonald House in support of McHappy Days.
  • 2007 The Teen Resource Centre for Youth is Officially Opened (Club's Centennial Project)
  • 2009 Support for the Ndandini Water Project began.
  • 2010 Ndandini Water Project began drilling and found lot's of water.
  • 2010 Club pledged $45,000 support to the Boys & Girls Club Capital Campaign.
  • 2011 Donated Sheltor Box #7824 arrived in Pakistan for aid with flood victims.
  • 2012 Contributed $10,000 to the Loch Lomond Village - Snoezelen Room Project.
  • 2012 Additional funding support to the Ndandini Water Project - distribution system.
  • 2013 Continued support the Greater Saint John Community Foundation through Rotary PGA Golf Tournament proceeds.
  • 2015 Provided support to Rocmaura Foundation to purchase a bus for residents.