On the 29th day of April in the year 1926, the Rotary Club of Preston – Hespeler was chartered. Now, 100 years later, a hundred and fifty individuals gathered at the Galt Country Club to honour the Rotary Club of Cambridge (formerly the Preston – Hespeler Rotary Club) and celebrate this milestone. Attendees consisted of members, visiting Rotarians, past members and guests.
My earliest recollection of Rotary, like many life-long residents of Preston, are of the Rotary Carnival that was an annual event held in the Preston Arena. My great-uncle, Allan Gmelin, owner and founder of Gmelin Flowers, was a Rotarian. Every year he would donate potted plants and arrangements to the carnival as prizes. Try as I might to win a stuffed animal or other carnival trophy, I inevitably would end up with a plant. Trotting off, I would go in search of my mother, handing her the plant with the explanation “here, I won this for you.”
Years later I was the guest of the principal or vice-principal of the school at a meeting of the Preston – Hespeler Rotary Club. like most male students of Preston High School at the time. The idea was to introduce young men to the virtues of Rotary. Back then it was “NO GIRLS ALLOWED!” We were introduced, and as Beaver Cleaver would have said they made us stand up so they could get a good look at us. I think I was more afraid of slopping something on my suit or tie than I was anything else.
Growing up, I always looked at Rotarians as been leaders in our community. It seemed they consisted of doctors, lawyers, and business owners. It was years later I learned that they only allowed one member from each profession into each club.
Rotary has done a great deal to benefit communities. In 1979 Rotary International set out to vaccinate children in the Philippines in a battle to fight polio. Rotary went on to be a leading partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988. On a more local level Rotary clubs in 1956 were key in the formation of the”North Waterloo Society for Crippled Children” which later became the “Rotary Children’s Centre.” Today it is the KidsAbility School.
Over the years the name Rotary Club of Preston – Hespeler was gradually changed. First, to the Rotary Club of Cambridge – Preston-Hespeler and then the Rotary Club of Cambridge.
In hind site my early impression of what a Rotarian is turned out to be pretty accurate; they are community leaders and they had plenty of reason to be proud and celebrate the centennial of Rotary in Cambridge.
On Sunday, June 14th the Rotary Club will host a duck race on the Grand River. This fundraiser will be held in conjuction with “Goose of the Grand.”
You can scan the QR code below to get a ticket on your own duck.
