The Rotary Club of Southampton was founded in March 1938 and celebrated receiving its official Charter from Rotary International on May 5th of that year, at a dinner at the Walker House. Since then, the Rotary Club has had a huge impact on both the community and internationally.
In order to raise funds to carry out projects and services, the Club organizes an annual Golf Tournament, a Dinner Auction and “Dinner of the Month” winter draw as well as BBQs, serving popcorn and other fundraising events. Southampton Rotary would like to thank the many businesses and individuals that have supported their events over the years.
Each month the Club usually has a business meeting, a speaker meeting and a social event such as a wine tasting, a visit to a local restaurant, a Murder Mystery night, going to a hockey game, having a picnic in Perkins Park or a BBQ at a Members home. Members sit on one of the Club’s committees and enjoy the fellowship and have a lot of fun socializing and working together.
So, just take a moment to imagine what Southampton would be like without Rotary. These are some of the projects and services they have been involved in during the last 85 years.
• Founding donor to Southampton Hospital and the Club continuing to support the hospital through the Rotary Huron Shore Run and by making many other donations to the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation.
• Building the Scout Hall on Grey Street
• Donating the land at Perkins’s Park to the Town which Rotarians help to maintain and where they put up Christmas decorations each year. They have also erected a Peace Pole there.
• Running Bingo for many years and donating to the Crippled Children’s Fund which is now known as Easter Seals.
• Raising funds and being involved in the design of the Accessible Playground and the Rotary Splash Pad at Jubilee Park. More recently they painted the pavilion and provided a water bottle refill station there.
• Providing Mobi Mats at our beach to make it accessible • Restoring Pioneer Park now maintained by the Propeller Club
• Funding and working with SDSS students to build the Fairy Lake Pavillion and providing the Bridge on the Captain Spence Trail
• Purchasing special chairs for the Day Away Program
• Buying 3, yes 3 horses for PRANCE for their therapeutic riding programs with the help of Bruce Power.
• Around Earth Day providing a confidential document shredding service, SHRED-N-GO. The paper is then recycled. This year it’s on April 22nd for 9.00am to 1.00pm at Rotary Hall.
• Providing dictionaries to all Grade 3 students in Saugeen Shores
• Giving scholarships to GC Huston, SDSS and St. Mary’s students
• With other Rotary Club’s helping to organize Winterama to encourage children to get active in the winter and raise funds for their own schools.
• Participating in the Rotary International Youth Exchange Program
• Supporting local businesses especially during Covid
• And many, many more …………… Just look out for all the Rotary Wheels around Town!
Internationally Southampton Rotary Club has also
• Funded numerous water projects
• Funded a maternal health clinic in Cameroon.
• Donated to Polio Plus to help eradicate Polio
• Been proactive at providing disaster relief by supporting Aqua Box and Shelter Box And many others…..
• Is currently involved in securing funding for a rain water harvesting project in Guatemala
Rotary International has “7 Areas of Focus”:
• Peacebuilding and conflict prevention
• Disease prevention and treatment
• Water, sanitation and hygiene
• Maternal and child health
• Basic education and literacy
• Community economic development
• The environment
Southampton Rotary Club is very proud to say they have been involved in all of these Areas over the last 85 years and the Club will continue to serve by building on their past for a better future.
Members of the Club will also be celebrating by re-enacting their Charter Dinner at a meeting at the Walker House on Friday May 5th .
For more information about Southampton Rotary Club, or to become a Member and help to make the world a better place, contact Membership Chair Cathy Janveau (226-974-1600) or go to visit: www.southamptonrotary.com.
