Fred Jones Award

The Rotary Club of Haliburton has an award for the Rotarian of the Year that is presented to a Rotarian who truly puts “Service Above Self”. The award is presented by the President at the Year-End Meeting at the end of June. The recipient is chosen by the President although recommendations by members regarding who is most deserving of the honour are welcome. 

By 2019, the plaque had been presented 48 times. The award was initiated in 1960 by Mrs. Anna Jones, Fred’s wife. What follows is a brief biography of Fred Jones. 

Fred Jones was a charter year member in 1944. His only child, Mariam Ouelette of Haliburton, fondly remembers Fred arranging his vacations around Rotary. Fred was a perfect attender for many years and loved Rotary. 

Born in 1900, Fred Jones moved from Wiarton to take up residence in Haliburton. He did well in Haliburton. He became mill foreman and clerk for one of the local lumber companies and began to acquire land, eventually owning a major portion of Drag Lake. He is probably best remembered for building and operating Drag Lake Lodge at the south end of the lake. 

Fred Jones loved hunting and fishing. The Drag Lake Hunt Club was formed by Fred and his associates. The fishing was so good at Drag Lake that his first cabins started to get rented out, and the lodge grew from that demand. When the Rotary Club held its summer carnival, Fred would bring his guests into town to help run the various booths. 

At age 15, Fred signed up to join the army, hoping to be one of the troops fighting the First World War in France. His father got wind of Fred's scheme however, and soon put a stop to it. A few years later he met Anna Archer. They were married at the unusual hour of 5:00 a.m. so that they could catch the 6:00a.m. train out of town. 

As well as playing an active role in Rotary, Fred was a member of the Masonic Lodge. He also served as Reeve of Dysart in 1934 and 1935. He left the club in 1953 and died at his home in 1957.