History

“WHATEVER ROTARY MAY MEAN TO US, TO THE WORLD IT WILL BE KNOWN BY THE RESULTS IT ACHIEVES.”

—PAUL P. HARRIS

Our 1.2 million-member organization started with the vision of one man—Paul P. Harris. The Chicago attorney formed one of the world’s first service organizations, the Rotary Club of Chicago, on 23 February 1905 as a place where professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. Rotary’s name came from the group’s early practice of rotating meetings among the offices of each member.
 

MINDEN ROTARY

Minden Rotary was founded June 18, 1947 at the Wig-a-Mog Inn. September 9, 1991 marked the date the two first women were inducted into the membership.
 
Minden Rotary from June 1947 - Present
By Ed Pergolas, Rick Ratcliff and Joanna Penfold
 
What would Minden be like if there wasn't a Rotary Club?
Minden Rotary would like to think that they have served the community well, adhering to our motto "Service Above Self". Our list of accomplishments is a long one and Minden Rotary has always been there with a helping hand, not asking for anything in return. Our Charter members and beyond were dedicated - always keeping in mind that our aim was to help the community to the best of our ability. Our problem has always been that we neglect to "Toot our own horn" as it were. This might be so but our satisfaction is being able to help others. It is estimated that we have been able to help the community with over 3 million dollars in support.
 
Our list of accomplishments locally have been:
 
  • The purchase, establishment and donation of Rotary Park to the municipality
  • Initial support of $30,000 to the Five Counties Children's Centre in Peterborough and subsequent funding to support Special Needs Children
  • Establish annual High School Scholarship Fund $25,000
  • Minden Hospital building fund including x-ray machine $150,000
  • Purchase of equipment for use in Lion's Medical Centre
  • Major contribution of approximately $220,000 for Minden Arena - construction, addition (scout room), and equipment
  • Tennis courts plus paving
  • Large print books for Minden Library
  • Christmas parties for seniors at Hyland Crest
  • Christmas baskets and fund for underprivileged with significant annual contributions to the food bank
  • Children's Christmas movies at the Beaver Theatre
  • Ornamental tree planting along Gull River
  • Summer Carnival for the community
  • Donations to sports, clubs and scouts
  • Exchange student programme
  • Archie Stouffer school - stage and equipment
  • Major donation to the Agnes Jamieson Gallery building expansion
  • Purchased 911 labels for all of Haliburton County West
  • Purchased, placed and maintain the Gazebo in Rotary Park
  • Purchased six decorative recycling bins for downtown Minden
  • Sponsored Physician Recruitment sign on Hwy 35
  • In 2006 the Club purchased two picnic tables and refurbished the washroom in Rotary Park
  • Annual 2K clean-up (adopt a highway) of Deep Bay Rd
  • Haliburton County Volunteer Dental outreach clinic
  • Fuel for Warmth programme
  • Point in Time - sending children to summer camp
  • Leadership programmes for youth including Capital Experience and adventure in citizenship (Ottawa) and WE days
  • Contributed $4,000 toward the purchase of playground equipment in Lochlin
  • Refurbished gazebo and installed the interlocking brick for the Village Green
  • Founder of the Mind Hospital Building Fund generating $189,000
  • Major contribution of $11,400 to establish the Community Police Building (currently used by ULinks)
  • Contributed to establishment of Riverwalk - sculpture, trees, garden
  • Support of new library purchasing furniture for conference room and computers
  • $15,000 for automated doors at new Food Bank and Community Kitchen
  • Purchased picnic tables to accommodate disabled persons at Rotary Park plus new washrooms/playground equipment
  • Annual support of community events such as Canada Day celebrations, Santa Claus parade, free public skating, senior trips
  • Support educational programmes such as Robotics team, water festival, High School Rotary Interact club
  • Proceeds of $3,996.66 from Rotary's sponsorship of 2019 Festival of Trees donated to the Food Bank and Community Kitchen
Minden Rotary's international contributions include:
 
  • Contributing since 1985 to the eradication of Polio
  • Clean water projects and a dairy farm in India
  • Youth exchange programmes
  • Bikes for Learning and a new school in Cambodia
  • Wheelchair distribution in Caribbean and Central America
  • Eye clinic in India
  • Malaria netting
  • Shelter boxes for Disaster Relief
  • Dental outreach in Honduras Central America
None of this could have been accomplished without the involvement of our community and the dedication of our members in supporting our various fundraisers.
 
 
Are you ready to make history with us?
Rotary Park
 
In the mid-fifties the present Rotary Park was a large island in the middle of Gull River. The river flowed past it on the north west side and the creek flowed past it on the highway side. Access was principally by water but a steep path came down the hill and crossed the shallow creek on the east side.
The site was used by Kilcoo Camp as a final overnight stop on their two week canoe trips down from Algonquin Park enroute to Kilcoo on Gull Lake.
It was also used extensively by the First Minden Scout Troop led by Scoutmaster Don Berry. The Minden Scouts were sponsored by the Minden Rotary Club.
In the interest of securing this scenic and important site, Don collaborated with the current Reeve Reg Booth to expropriate the land for Minden Township.
There were several adjoining landowners who did not approve of this step but the fact that a township road allowance ran through it to the river and that it was deemed an island gave the township the rights to take over the site.
Extensive planning and development with the collaboration of the township and Minden Rotary Club led to the existence of the beautiful asset we have today.