Kiwanis Club of North London
History 1959-1961
1959
Lieutenant Governor Ernie Reid visited our Club January E on the occasion of the installation of our Officers for this year. Ernie had a few encouraging words to say to each officer. The Lieutenant Governor’s Banner was presented to President Tom Squires of the London Club to hold for the present year. It was returned to our Club December 17.
February i2 was Presidents’ Night. Lieutenant
Governor Ernie and Presidents from the
other three
Clubs attended. The speaker was Dr. 3ev. Robinson. February
19 our wives attended a regular meeting. Entertainment
was provided by a group of singers from the Gilbert and
Sullivan Operatic Society of the U.W.O.
Syd Kemsley, Past President of the Chathani Club, gave us a very interesting accOunt of how to operate a “Rose Day” project. Our Directors decided in favour of this project and Bob Turnbull as chairman; the date was set for June 6. The project was a success and it is hoped the profits will be doubled next year.
April 16 was Vice_Presidents Night with Al Emsley acting as chairman. Vice—Presidents from all London Clubs were in attendance. The speakers were Dr. J. C. Rathbun and ,John F. Horriks. We were honoured with another visit by Lieutenant Governor Ernie, May 13, this being his official visit for this year.
There may be those of us who can remember when Turnhuil and “Reproducto Hlinkhorn were still single. Using the proceeds from our augmented “Pot” to provide gifts for Bob and Jack was our way of offering our most sincere congratulations to them on their marriages.
Ladies’ Night, May 30, was a night of fun
and frolic organized by George Rainey, plus games not arranged. A good time was
had by all at the
The dedication ceremony of the wading pool
at
The annual meeting for election of the 1960 Officers was conducted November 5 by Rick Stewart and Stan Cushman.
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The interest and keen competition at this election proves the very healthy state of our Club.
This was the year our ViraL Annual Family Night was proposed by our President. It was held at; the Optimists Youth Centre on November 26. It took the form of a regular meeting with our wives and families attending. Entertainment was provided for al], with presents from Santa Claus for the children. Warren-Caulfield was chairman for this very successful event.
In addition to the Rose Day and Queens Park Car Check projects we also made money parking cars for the London Lords games and selling tickets for same. The concessions at the U.W.O. were continued this year. Window washers and litter buckets were added as items to sell at the car check. The “biscuits” also made cash but the hardest job was to get it turned in.
We held our annual clothing drive for Governor Simcoe School; our Club took on the responsibility of the T.B. survey for North London; a “stunt” by the Ways and Means Committee netted 3l; we participated in the appeal for the St. Joseph Hospital Building Fund; the new P.A. system was used for the first time in June; a hat which will serve to identify us as Kiwanians at appropriate public projects was approved as acceptable.
Transported a group of girls from the Protestant Orphanage to a cottage at Port Stanley; a similar affair for boys was performed two weeks later; bought favours and prizes for a picnic for the children of Governor Simcoe School; the idea of a “rose—a—week” was initiated, to be presented for meritorious service; the boys and girls from the Opportunity Class were again taken to the Santa Claus parade and treated afterwards at the Inn; donations were made to the Crippled Childrens’ Treatment Centre and the May Court Club; tools and leather were supplied to the Opportunity Class; one of our charter members, John Robarts, was appointed Minister of Education.
Speakers included: Lucil].e McClure, Dr. W.A. Kennedy,
Bill Farcjuharson, Jim Thompson, “Dutch” Decker, Rt. 1
N.H. Clarke, M. Baldwin, Mrs. Norton, Angela Armitt, Doug
Trowell, Kay Riseborough, Esther Hunter, Evan McGugan,
Hill Stewart, Dr. John Paul , Chas Butler, Dr. Gordon
Pruetor, Jack Hazelwood, Jack Hay, Mac Marcellies, Rev.
Morse Robinson, R.W. Mitche Rabbi Ben Friedberg, Hugh
Breniner, 1i Davis, Geoff Knight.
President Gros proved to he a most personable, pleasant and urbane lender. All in all, one of those smooth, straight saii years when everything and everybody functions properly.
1960
The first meeting, January 7, was highlighted by the induction of the slate of Officers, conducted by Lieutenant Governor Allan Burke. The Lieutenant Governor’s Banner was presented to the Port Stanley Club.
On March 3, we had the official visit of Lieutenant
Governor Allan Burke at our regular and directors’ meetings.
He gave us a very thought provoking address on the Kiwanis
Theme “Freedom — is up to you.”
A Millionaires Night was held March 24, which ended up as a “Turn About.” The ladies took over the meeting and conducted the proceedings from start to finish. It proved to be a resounding success.
On April 2 our meeting took on a somewhat different look. A telephone inter—club was held with the Elkins, West Virginia Club. The conversation lasted an hour and a lot of facts about both cities were exchanged. It was a new experience and one that everyone enjoyed a great deal. Later, three of our members travelled to Elkins for an inter-club, and presented the Elkins Club with a “Canadian” Flag. At the same time the Elkins Club presented our members with a gavel to be used by our Club.
An official Club Church Service was held Sunday evening May 15 at New St. James Presbyterian Church. It was well attended and the reception after was appreciated.
We acquired both a camera and an official photographer to record Club activities; instituted the Kiwanis Kwis Korner” in the Bulletin; the “rose—a—week” was changed to “bouquet— a—month”to keep this award on a high plane; donated t25 to the Sportsmens’ Dinner in return for a ticket; entertained the North London Kiwanis Browns, who were winners of the Peewee League Footba1l Trophy; still working on
cleaning and polishing; received a letter, from the War Memorial Children’s Hospital thanking us for the donation of a wheel chair; donated a cheque towards the new• May Court House for children; started giving the proceeds of the “Sunshine Pot” for one night to each new father to be matched by him and deposited in a bank; collected used children’s and men’s clothing for Governor Simcoe School; helped in the entertainment section of the YM—YWCA Hobby Fair; the circle of distinction was presented to every member bringing in a new member; June 23, was our annual outing at Branton’s. Swimming, refreshments and smorgasbord, and a good time was had by all who attended.
Again, we operated the concessions at the U.W.O. stadium; a “Wishing Well” was insta] led in the lobby of the Inn; we continued selling tulip bulbs and Scotch biscuits; the C.Q. project was underway; we helped the London Lords by parking cars for their fans; we entertained our Eager Beaver Baseball Club; contributed to the United Appeal and the Child Guidance Clinic; entertained the 4H—Clubs of Bryanston and Ilderton with their leaders.
Rose Day was held May 2 and proved to he a better financial success than last year. Bob Hamilton came up with the prize, for the most roses sold.
On July 27 we presented the play equipment
at
This year s: itart of a new money raising project. On September 21, we held our first Kiwanis International Stock Car Race. It was a very different and exciting project and added a large sum of money to our coffers.
The organization meeting of the TTNoi.lokiTT Club was held on October 24. This is to he an informal social club of members' wives that will provide a more cohesive basis for lending us their support in the future. Jeanne Southen was elected as their Charter President.
October 27 was another Ladies Night at the
An important event was held November 3, when the Past PresidentTs took charge of the annual election. We can congratn1ate a].1 on our good fortune, in our 1961 officers.
December 1 was Family Night. Once again it was an outstanding success with excellent food and entertainment:
Our thanks go to Jack Timbrell and his committee for their time and trouble in making this event possible.
During the year we had the following speakers: Bill
Farquharson, Rev. Alvin Roth, Peter Schwartz, Mrs. J. Heaman,
Larry Hyde, Rev. Moir Waters, Gil S Len Leonard, Bob
Dowler, Denny Johns, Ron Johnson, ‘“Dinty” Moore, Ralph Harris,
Fred Reynolds, Grant r’laginnis, John Askew, Fred P1cAlister,
Bill Reid, Max Von Ysselstein,
Al Emsley, one of the most literate witty and dedicated Kiwanians was a very capable President. We salute you.
1961
On January 12, members of the St. Thomas Club met with us for the induction of our new Executive by Lieutenant Governor Art Post. Dr. I urged awareness of our responsibility and he paid tribute to past officers, in particular, our Past Presidents. He detailed our goals, emphasizing civic mindedness and the need for constant progress and growth. Members of our Club journeyed to the St. Thomas Club on January 16 to present the Lieutenant Governor’s Banner, to “hold for this year.
The Governor's Ball was held at the
Our two main money making projects were roses and stock cars. June 3 was the date of Rose Day under the guidance of Walt Dodd. Sales, combined with donations and the help of the Norloki Club, made this event, another great success. Bruce Geddes’ team sold more roses than any other. On July l the Kiwanis International Stock Car Race was held at the Nilestown Raceway. 3,300 people attended to see the main event of 75 laps with a purse of 1ń3,500.
The annual church service was held at New
St. James Presbyterian Church on May 2 Rev. Rick gave the sermon and coffee was
served after the service by the Norloki Club. The Norloki Club invited us to a
picnic at
We provided financial support to a U.W.O. student; contributed to the renovation and furnishings of the Child Guidance Clinic; a Club Roster Booklet was introduced for the first time; Art’s S.O.B. project was written up in the Kiwanis magazine; Bob Vogt was presented with a gift when he joined the ranks of the benedicts; more clothes were collected for the Opportunity Class at Governor Simcoe School; our pane] discussion on fluoridation was written up in the London Free Press; again we sponsored the Eager Beaver baseball and Little League football teams; donated 55 man hours to the YM—YWCA Hobby Fair; the children from the Opportunity Class were taken to the Detroit Zoo. The outing was arranged by the Boys & Girls Committee and the Norloki Club; purchased two tickets to the African Students Foundation Fund—Raising Dinner; the “wishing—well” was sold to Walt Dodd for 1 the heat of the summer meetings was finally cooled off with the installation of air condi tioners in the dining room of the Inn; a successful innovation was hearing semi—autobiographical sketches by our own members.
We presented a typewriter to the U.W.O. Students’ Christian Movement; made arrangements with the U.W.O. officials to again operate the concessions at Little Memorial Stadium; the Red Ensign was officially adopted by O.Q.M. as the Kiwanis National Flag; Dick Allman was still trying to collect reports on time; clothes were collected for the Goodwill Rescue Mission; the biscuits arrived and one and all started selling them; charter member John Robarts was elected Premier of Ontario; the Club voted unanimously to support the second Opportunity Class at Governor Simcoe School; entertained members and presented trophies to the 4—U Clubs of Ilderton and Bryanston; the Opportunity Classes were taken to see the Santa Claus Parade and were treated afterwards by the Club at the Knotty Pine; at the annual meeting of the Norloki Club, Marjorie Robinson was elected President for the coming year.
September 21 was “Kids’ Night.” Mrs. Norton was guest speaker and showed films and slides of our work with the Opportunity Classes. The annual meeting and election of officers was held November 2. It was handled by Al Emsley, assisted by Stan Cushman and Gros Robinson.. A specia] Ladies Night was held at the Knotty Pine, November 4. Social hour, smorgasbord, entertainment and dancing rounded out a full evening. Chairman Art Vogelsang had everything in hand for Family Night December 7 at the Optimist Youth Centre. A gigantic stage extravaganza and Santa Claus with gifts fof all children made a great evening for all.
We had the following guest speakers; Doug Van Buskirk,
Roy Duxhury, Dr. John Davis,
Graham Lethbridge, George Humphries, Don Simpson, Dr. Jim
Stevenson, karl Slater, Earl Nichols, 1kb McAuley, Harold
,Johnson, Dr. John Walker, Dr. A.B. Lucas, Margaret Fullerton,
Dr. Art Waugh, Rev. Moir Waters.
President Bob presided over our Club in a year which was notable for goodwill, good works, and good times. We weren’t particularly aware that we were being led by a genial and firm hand, but we were, and in the right direction. Thanks Bob. May the livin he easy up there on the Past Presidents’ shelf.