Pre-1930: Picnics and Camping & Housing

Picnics and Camping

During the nineteen-thirties, the Rotary Club of Windsor sponsored picnics for boys and girls. The minutes of August 15, 1932, record that 270 boys and girls attended a picnic at Evangeline Beach organized and conducted by Rotarians. Transportation was provided by Club members in 30 cars and one truck, without mishap. Similar picnics were an annual event for several years. An illustration of support given the Boy Scout movement is contained in the Minutes of August 18, 1940:

"Copy of a letter from the first Windsor Scout Troop Leader. 'Would you please convey to the members of the Windsor Rotary Club, the grateful thanks of the First Windsor Scout Troop for all that your organization has done in the past two weeks to help with our annual camp at Murphy's Lake. Without your nightly deliveries of milk and supplies, without the kind loan of Mr. Colin Taylor's truck to transport our Company equipment to and from the camp, without your generous donation of fine prizes for the winning patrol, and without your unstinting help in many ways, the camp could not have been the heartening success which it was. Again, I ask the members of your worthy organization to accept our most heartfelt thanks and to wish them great success in other good works.' "

In the summer of 1930, twenty-four boys were given the benefit of a period of camping at Indian Orchard. In succeeding years, the Club assisted financially camps at different locations, and also sponsored groups of deserving children each summer.

Housing

Improved housing was an early concern of the Windsor Rotary Club. Minutes of November 19, 1929, are of interest in this regard.

"It was moved by Doctor Keddy, seconded by Cyrus Ryan, that the members endorse the action of the Directors to improve housing conditions in the Town in a judicious manner and pledge unanimous support."

The subsequent minutes indicate that the Club sponsored annual clean-up campaigns in conjunction with the Town authorities.

In the nineteen-sixties, the Rotary Club initiated a plan to assist certain families in the Three Mile Plains area to acquire their own homes. Advantage was taken of a Pilot project of the Provincial Government whereby mortgage financing was made available upon certain conditions and after relatively small down-payments were made. The Rotary Club allocated somewhere in the area of $5,000 for that purpose. A committee was set up within the Club under the Chairmanship of Mike King and had the responsibility for handling negotiations and finalizing the undertaking.