Submitted by Cat Henderson, President
Rotary Club of NBP Celebrates 70 Years Of Service Honouring The Past and Building The Future – Saturday, April 13, 2024 at 7 p.m.
On March 12, 2024, the Rotary Club celebrated the 70th Anniversary of its charter in Lion’s Head in 1954. In 2013, the name was changed to include all the communities on the Peninsula and became the Rotary Club of Northern Bruce Peninsula and includes members from Tobermory south to Pike Bay and in between. We have a long history of service to the community, and fellowship among its members.
Speaking of members and fellowship, we are heartbroken to share that we have lost one of our dearest members this week. Robert Spearing, known to many as Bonzaii or Bob, passed away this past week. Many will remember him from his presence at our Pancake Breakfasts, but he had many other roles in the club and was a wealth of knowledge and support to all of us. He will be sorely missed by all his friends in Rotary, and our condolences go out to Dee, his family and his many friends. We will be honouring him at several upcoming events, and Rotary will host a celebration of life for Bonzaii later in the spring.
While the actual date of our 70th anniversary passed quietly with some painting at the Rotary Hall and chat, we are planning an event to invite the community to celebrate with us! After a Rotary ceremonial event to honour past presidents, current members and volunteers, the Rotary Club of NBP invites everyone to come to the Rotary Hall on Saturday, April 13, 2024 at 7 p.m. to help us celebrate our past accomplishments and hear about some of our exciting plans for the future.
We will be holding a 50/50 draw at 9:30 p.m. at the event, and tickets ($5 each) will be available for sale by the time of publication of this issue. The prize will be $700 and Rotarians will have tickets for sale or let you know where to pick one up! Proceeds from the draw and from the evening will go to one of our favourite local causes, the Rotary BPDS Scholarship Funds. Beverages will be available for purchase at the bar.
We are also, somewhat belatedly, celebrating the recent (last year) 125th anniversary of the Rotary Hall, a great place to gather and celebrate all our milestone events.
So please mark the date, and be sure to drop by for cake and ice cream and some great stories, a musical playlist from 7 decades of Rotary Hall fun and more. We look forward to seeing you there!
Recent and Upcoming Events
We partnered with Christ Church Anglican to host a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper to honour Patricia (Pat) Horner and raise funds for the Bruce Peninsula Hospice which does such wonderful and essential work in our community. A huge thanks to all who volunteered and came out to make the event a big success.
Rotary has also been hosting very successful and enjoyable “Coffee and Conversation” socials at the Rotary Hall on Sunday afternoons from noon to 4 p.m., with a pop-up seed sale with Franken Farm Seeds at one – a very popular event. Drop by and say hi.
Rotarians will also be tending bar at the upcoming Volunteer Recognition event to be hosted by the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula at 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 17 at the Rotary Hall.
Upcoming Rotary-sponsored events include:
-our ever popular Trivia Night (Spring Edition!) on Friday, March 22 – doors open at 6:30 p.m., game starts at 7 p.m.
-an Open Mic for local musicians on Saturday, March 23 at 7 p.m.
-And a dance party fundraiser for Bruce Peninsula Hospital Foundation on Sunday, April 28 from 2 – 4 p.m. – watch for the poster! This will be big fun!
Look for more info on all these and other events on our new website rotarynbp.org or email us at nbprotary@gmail.com
