Page 38 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 88

Issue #88 Mar
ch 2020
www
38 Issue #88 March 2020 www.sportsenergynews.com.com
.sportsenergynews

On Local Service Clubs & Their
Sports Energy

Contributions to Community Sports
Shines

The Spotlight The Rotary Club: Athletics and More

By Casey Leger
piece of trivia not known to many is the fact
A that in the center of the Rotary Rink at the
Benson Centre is a Paul Harris Fellowship medal
embedded in the concrete. Paul Harris is the
founder of Rotary International.
“It would not be possible to list all the
contributions that the Club has made locally,” says
Cornwall Rotary Club member, Dean Stanley.
Stanley is well-versed in the Club’s history in
Cornwall. “One of its very first contributions
dates back to 1953,” he explains. “The Club raised
money selling raffle tickets for 25 cents each to
buy a refrigerator for the Hotel Dieu Hospital to
store antibiotics, insulin, and other medications.
The Club raised $300, which was an enormous
task back then.”
Another example of the Club’s historic
involvement with the city is the fact that most
of the tennis courts in Cornwall were built with
Rotary assistance beginning in the 1950’s. “In
fact, the Rotary sign still stands at the Joe St.
Denis field where the tennis courts were originally
located, behind the Bob Turner Arena,” explains
Stanley.
Chartered in December 1950, the Rotary
Club of Cornwall has indelibly stamped the
local landscape. From substantial financial
contributions to the Aquatic Center and to the Dan Drouin President BMX Club, Jeremiah Point Rotarian, Jean Thomas Nadeau, Dean Stanley
Benson Center (Benson Center’s Pad 2 - the center Rotarian, Linda Eamer Rotarian Photo Submitted
ice pad - is the Rotary Rink), to the outdoor gym in
Lamoureux Park (which was a joint project with positive citizenship skills. An example of this is Stanley is quick to point out that Rotary is an
sister Rotary Club of Cornwall-Sunrise), to the the Adventure in Understanding program which international organization, with international
Cornwall BMX Club and the development of the brings Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth contributions to people’s welfare. “We have
BMX track in Guindon Park (which, according to together for a 100-kilometer canoe trip to learn very significant global projects that we are
their webpage, is one of Ontario’s longest and top more about each other,” says Stanley. also involved with,” he explains. “One of the
ranked BMX Canada sanctioned racing tracks), Another youth-sponsored program, Adventure in most significant global initiatives involves the
to donations to the Summerstown Ski Trails and Citizenship, brings approximately 200 youth from eradication of polio. Worldwide since 1985, we
the Cornwall Rowing Club, the Cornwall Rotary across Canada together in Ottawa to learn what have raised in excess of half a billion dollars in
Club lives up to its motto: “Service Above Self”. it means to be a Canadian citizen. Additionally, collaboration with our partners. We are proud
“Some of the other commitments that are the Club sponsors the Rotary Youth Leadership to report that there are only two countries left
extremely important to the Club are to the youth Academy which is a three-day leadership training reporting cases of the polio virus. We have
in our community, as reflected in our ongoing program. This isn’t an exhaustive list. Rotary has reduced cases by 99.9% since 1988.”
sponsorship of youth programs and adventures,” also supported Youth Exchange programs which “Rotary values diversity and welcomes
says Stanley. “The Club currently sponsors two sees outbound students spend up to a year living the contributions of all people. So, if you are

Interact Clubs which are at CCVS and SLHS. abroad or hosting an inbound youth from another passionate about the community and want
Interact Clubs bring youth together to develop country for up to a year. to take action to create lasting change that is
leadership skills and discover the Rotary motto of The Rotary Club also provides bursaries and beneficial to the community both locally and
“Service Above Self” by engaging them in local scholarships to graduating high school students internationally, then we invite you to experience
and international projects throughout the school and St. Lawrence College graduates. “We have what it means to be a Rotarian,” says Stanley.
year. Over the years, we have also had Interact also supported the Unities Counties Science Fair Any person interested in learning more about
Club members participate in humanitarian for the past 40 years. Club member, Dale Miller, Rotary is welcome to join the club for lunch,

missions to El Salvador and Guatemala,” he says. who died recently, was a fair judge for 29 years visit their Webpage/Facebook page, or contact
“Our Club also sponsors youth who participate While Dean Stanley and his Rotarians are Dean at dean-stanley@cogeco.ca or Linda
in a variety of programs to develop leadership and justifiably proud of their local accomplishments, Eamer at eamerlinda@gmail.com .