Pre-1960: Crippled Children's Committee

Two months after the Windsor Rotary Club received its charter, there is reference in the minutes to the formation of a Crippled. Children's Committee. There was concern for children known to be physically handicapped and unable to walk. The Directors asked that full information be obtained on the Marshall children and the Cochran child. This was the beginning of a continuing program whereby the Club members sought out children in the Town and adjacent areas in need of treatment for crippling conditions. Having two medical doctors among the chartered members facilitated having cases diagnosed, and referred to specialists where necessary. Doctor Thomas Acker, a member of the Halifax Rotary Club (and an Orthopedic Surgeon) performed operations which resulted in children being able to walk for the first time. An example is that of a little girl whose mother wrote: "I wish to thank you and all the Rotary members for making it possible for Madeline to have her feet operated on. It is almost a miracle, the improvement Doctor Acker made on her. I appreciate the responsibility you took."

Rotarians transported the children to Halifax and the Rotary Club assumed responsibility for the costs of treatment and hospitalization where the parents were unable to bear the cost. It appears that hospitalization was a legitimate charge on the Municipality for indigent cases, but this was sometimes a contentious issue.

The next step in the program was the organization of Crippled Children's Clinics in Windsor. In the early years, these were held at the local Payzant Memorial Hospital and later at the new War Memorial Community Centre.

Doctor Acker came from Halifax to conduct the Clinics. This enabled him to examine more children, as well as provide follow-up treatment for those previously under his care.

The range of the Crippled Children's Committees, interests expanded to include children suffering from defective vision and dental neglect. 

The pattern of the activities of the Crippled Children's Committee continued into the nineteen-fifties and early nineteen-sixties under the Chairmanship of Ralph Parsons following the demise of Ted Harris. The Club sponsored speech clinics and organized blood donor clinics in conjunction with the Red Cross Society. Another program was the examination of children in the elementary school for defective vision. This revealed a number of cases where glasses were needed; some of which were paid for by the Rotary Club. When Government health care and hospitalization came into operation, the need for voluntary care diminished.