The Delta - Tom Wilkinson, Charter President
Our connection to the Delta is a long one, going right to up to 1987 when we started to hold our breakfast meetings in its conference room. Many of our most memorable experiences come from events held at the hotel.
For our first Polio Eradication campaign we had our Christmas tree there and a Christmas light was lit in honour of all the people who contributed to this incredible initiative.
We remained the Delta’s steadfast customers for 32 years until we moved to the Rodd Charlottetown in 2018.
Personal memorable experiences - Gordon Harper, Past President
At the time our club was chartered, Rotary International emphasized attendance as a key measure of a Club’s success. There were also limited and distinct occupational classifications.
I attended Rotary’s international conferences in Singapore and Los Angeles. At the Los Angeles conference, the Canadian contingent sported red and white golf shirts in honour of Tom’s brother RI President Wilf Wilkinson. Being welcomed at Club meetings in St Vincent and the Grenadines, Germany, Hungary, Scotland and across the US and Canada brought home the sense of fellowship and belonging.
Over the years, there has been ample opportunity to make new connections and build friendships. Kate and I had a home exchange with San Diego Rotarians. We also participated in a Rotary Friendship Exchange to New Zealand, and hosted Rotarians from New Zealand, Australia and Scotland. We were host family for exchange students and were able to teach a few of them some boating skills.
There has been no dearth of quirky, fun moments at our club meetings. Our Sergeants-at-Arms reports spared no members in the early days of the Club, where fines for such as appearing in the media, not wearing a necktie, or arriving late were the norm. Quite a fundraiser!
A memorable time during my year as Membership Chair was sharing our club’s pride in being one of the first to recruit women members. Another image from the past was introducing iconic war hero and VAC minister Hon George Hees at one of our earliest meetings. At a Remembrance Day meeting someone arranged to play a recording of CBC’s ‘Fireside Al’ Maitland reading one of my Dad’s wartime short stories. Hands-on work with the Boys and Girls club and involvement in recruiting for and obtaining the Stratford Club’s charter were very rewarding. For several years I was honoured to be the District’s Friendship Exchange Chair. I also had the opportunity to join the Board of Rotary partner ShelterBox Canada, where I also chaired the Audit Committee. As a student of the Great Highland Bagpipe, I had a (very short) engagement piping in the head tables for a district conference and the Premier’s Dinner.
Reflections /Learnings/Musings
- On close inspection one sees that the Rotary Wheel has a keyway, meaning ‘A Rotarian is not an idler’
- It’s easier to start a club than to restore / revive one (x2)
- Overheard at a RI convention ‘the best job in Rotary is club president’
- RI allowing women members came late; but was well received and has enriched and expanded the horizons of our Club
- I’ve seen many degrees of formality when visiting clubs; ours suits the community, and is just about right
Conversation with John Barrett, Past President
As a relatively new member to the Club, I often reflect on the history of the club and on the many decisions and paths that were taken to bring us to where we are today. A few questions set to John and his remarkable memory help cast a light on those exciting, early days - Ouma Cuniah, Current President
Who got the idea to set up the club?
This was an initiative of the Rotary Club of Charlottetown led by the late Dr. Lloyd MacLeod and PDG Wayne Hambly. Tom Wilkinson was our Charter President and I believe, at the time, our charter membership list was one of the largest that R.I. had seen to that point in time.
Was it always a breakfast meeting?
From the very beginning, our meetings took place in the early morning, with breakfast being served at the MacLauchlan’s Motel in Grafton Street, now the Charlottetown Inn and Convention Centre. Breakfast was a quite substantial one and with our meeting room being adjacent to the swimming pool, mixed with a strong smell of chlorine. We even tasted chlorine in our mouths!
Those early morning meetings were the inspiration behind our motto, ‘Early to Rise in Service to Others’ and our logo, depicting a rooster on a rising sun.
Who designed the 'Rooster"?
I believe it might have been me but I’m not sure… Tom would know. I think I may have come up with the motto “Early to rise in service to others”. Again, I can’t be positive… the chlorine was affecting my brain in the early days!
Do you remember the first projects you were involved in?
The first project supported by the Club was its participation in the project ‘Kayak for Cancer’. This project ultimately raised $100,000 for the PEI Division of the Canadian Cancer Society and several members took part as volunteers at some point during the 35 days of the project. As well, the Club organized the breakfast farewell at the Charlottetown Yacht Club on the first day of the project on July 1, 1987, as well as a celebratory event on the evening of the project’s completion on August 4, 1987.
The Ad Supplement came a bit later, didn’t it?
The Rotary Supplement was actually developed in the first year of the Club’s Charter and the first edition was published in the second year of the Club’s existence on October 13, 1988.The 2022 publication will be our Club’s 34th edition. There was no real fundraising project prior to the supplement other than some contributions to the event noted above.
Any keynote guest speaker? Events that stand out?
Hon John Crosbie, His Honorable Governor General Ray Hnatyshyn, RI President Wilf Wilkinson, my parents who spoke at a Remembrance Day meeting.
What were your feelings and motivation at the time you were getting together to form a Rotary Club?
At the time I was General Manager of Walt Wheeler Publications. Mr. Wheeler was an outstanding Rotarian and he knew that my father had been a Rotarian all of his professional life. I had been helping Walt with programming at the Rotary Club of Charlottetown and was frequently his guest to their meetings. When the new Club became an initiative of his Club, he invited me to get involved on the ground floor.
How do you see the evolution of the club over the years?
Consistency is key to commitment, loyalty and success. From the very start this Club had an excellent executive succession plan, the format of meetings was clearly laid out and followed precisely every week. It’s this consistency that has kept our Charter members and many longtime members engaged in our Club.
Any memories/experiences that stand out?
Greenwich Nature Walk led by Diane Griffin, cleaning garbage from the experimental farm field and the Joe Ghiz Park, construction of mini barns, the 3 year funding of a Development Officer for Anderson House, our contribution to the Upper Room Hospitality Ministry as a joint Rotary initiative, my year as President, my own attendance at District Conferences, the Past President’ meeting I organized, receiving the Governor’s Citation for creating the daily District Conference newsletter, Receiving the True Rotarian Award, receiving the Outstanding Leadership Award, receiving multiple PHF from the Club, my ongoing involvement in the Holland College Business Plan Competition, attendance at over 50 different Rotary Clubs around the globe, the numerous awards bestowed upon our club, our 30th anniversary celebration event (organized by Tom Campbell I believe), the End Polio Now Tulip National Campaign and more recently our visit to Lennox Island.
Any message to the new members?
Attendance is key to new membership. If you are not consistently in attendance you are out of the loop and don’t feel part of the organization.