The original Rotary Club of Huntsville was sponsored by the Rotary Club of North Bay and chartered on May 11, 1934. Harmon E. Rice, the former publisher of the Huntsville Forester, was the founding president. The Huntsville Club went on to sponsor the Rotary Clubs of Bracebridge, Parry Sound, Gravenhurst, and Haliburton. To adapt to changing needs with fewer meetings and at more convenient times, Rotary in Huntsville is now organized in 3 groups:
The Rotary Club of Huntsville – chartered in 1934 – meets on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at 12 Noon at the Royal Canadian Legion – celebrating 90 years of service.
The Rotary Club of North Muskoka – Chartered 2004 – meets on 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 7 AM at Community Living Huntsville – celebrating 20 years of service.
Rotary People of Action Huntsville – Chartered 2020 – meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays at 5:30 PM at Music on Main – celebrating 4 years service.
Rotarians have a proud history of Community Service in Huntsville
- The Club’s initial focus in 1934 was on helping handicapped and disadvantaged children.
- Rotary created Huntsville’s first public beach. Rotary Beach (now Hutcheson Beach)
- Rotary brought live theatre to Huntsville in 1952 with 40 years of musical productions.
- Heritage projects – Muskoka Pioneer Village (1961) and the Rotary station museum (1998)
- Brought RCMP Musical ride to Muskoka – Free for all school children.
- Trans-Canada Trail projects – Pavilion at Avery Beach, benches, and exercise areas
- Built the bandshell and playground at River Mill Park
- Rotary Peace Park to enhance the Main Street entrance to Brendale Mall
- Health Care projects – $300,000 for the Day Surgery unit, CT scanner, and MRI
- Environmental projects – Spring clean-up, tree-planting, community gardens
- Annual Santa Clause parade, Dragon Boat Races, Rotary Dock Fest bathtub Derby
- Helped build and then refurbish the Chrysalis women’s shelter and Hospice Huntsville
- Youth Projects – $400,000 Rotary Youth skateboard Park, healthy breakfast program, economics of staying in school, accessible playground at HPS, Annual Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, Annual Rotary Youth adventures in citizenship and technology, Annual bursary program to help HHS graduates further their education.
- Affordable homes with Habitat for Humanity
- Annual Perogy Fest and Maple Fest
- Annual contributions to local food banks, and much more.
The Huntsville Rotary Clubs thank the business community for their unwavering support without which these community projects could not have been accomplished.
International Projects by Huntsville Rotarians with grants from the Rotary Foundation
- 50 years in Rotary Youth Exchange Program enabled 100 outbound / inbound students to live abroad for one year. Enhances international understanding and world peace.
- Supported the WHO and Rotary International program for Polio Eradication
- Hosted one-month Group Study Exchanges for young professionals from Africa, South Korea, Australia, Turkey, Russia, England, Taiwan
- Wells and water systems for safe drinking water in Nicaragua, Honduras, Malawi Africa
- Medical / Dental services/ equipment, to Caribbean and Central America
- Wheelchairs to Cambodia, St Lucia, Trinidad, Antigua, Jamaica, El Salvador
- Support for Rotary International Peace Scholarships
Members of Huntsville’s 3 Rotary Clubs, supporters, and local dignitaries will celebrate these significant anniversaries at the Royal Canadian Legion on May 11.
To find out more about Rotary activities in Huntsville, please visit the club websites at www.rotaryclubofhuntsville.com, www.rotaryclubofnorthmuskoka.com, and www.peopleofactionhuntsville.com and come to a meeting.
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I am very grateful to all 3 local ‘pods’ of Rotary for their collective efforts and commitment to the Town of Huntsville and it’s citizens. So many positive initiatives are seeded by the volunteers who generate a heightened level of community for all.