Rotary Club donates wheelchairs for those in need in 2008 honouring past distinguished Chapleau club members

Ever since the Rotary Club of Chapleau held its first meetings in the Fall of 1951, it has been doing good works in the community and the wider world including the purchase of wheelchairs for use by those in need of them in other countries.

I was prompted to look back at the good work of the Rotary Club in Chapleau upon reading the article in the January 10, 2019 edition of the Chapleau Express, "Rotary Club Helps Out Community Groups".

Although meetings were held in 1951, the club received its charter on January 26, 1952 at a meeting in the Town Hall basement. As an aside, I was there, first with my friends looking in through the windows, then going to the kitchen through the back door to see my grandmothers Lil Morris and Edith Hunt. I was ten years old.

While browsing the Chapleau Public Library history site, I came across a Chapleau Express article from 2008 about the club's purchase of five wheelchairs to be distributed to people in Africa and Mexico. What an amazing project!!

The article explained that each wheelchair the Chapleau club paid for was bought in the name of a member who had died and whose contribution was remembered. For this particular project, the members selected were Gene Bernier, Dick Lapp, Lorne Marsh, Yvon Martel and Andre Nadeau. Five wheelchairs had been bought to honour these past presidents of the Chapleau club.

At its Christmas meeting in 2008, the article noted that family members of four of the five members were present including Grace Bernier, Mike Bernier, Alan Marsh, Guy Martel, Elaine Smith and Janick Nadeau. A representative of the family of Dick Lapp was unable to be present. The photo was sent to his family.

Local club president David Laughland presented each family with a commemorative photo of the grateful recipient sitting in the wheelchair purchased in the name "of a late distinguished Rotarian."

Also, in November 2008, David and Joanne Laughland travelled to  El Salvador to take part in a distribution of 1,400 wheelchairs provided by Rotarians in Ontario and Northern Quebec.

The article says that both David and Joanne were touched and deeply impressed by the huge difference these wheelchairs meant to the quality of life of the recipients who ranged in age from very young to very old.

Rev E Roy Haddon

Flashback to 1951 and the beginnings of the club in Chapleau. Rev E. Roy Haddon the Rector of St. John's Anglican Church was the first president while Dr. G.E. 'Ted' Young was vice president; Newt Pellow, secretary; Bob Serre, treasurer and B.W. 'Bubs' Zufelt, sergeant at arms.

I have also included a photo of the ladies of the Senior WA at St. John's Anglican Church from 1952. These ladies catered to the Rotary Club for many years. 

names below

My sincere congratulations to the Rotary Club of Chapleau on all its good works since 1951 in the community and far beyond. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

PHOTO NAMES

Senior WA of St John's Church in 1952 Mrs. Hands, Mrs. Saylors, Mrs. Haskins, Mrs. Swanson, Mrs. Machan - ? Mrs. Chappise, Mrs. Saunders, Mrs. McKnight, Mrs. Crichton, Mrs. H. Morris, (my grandmother) Mrs. Hunt, (my grandmother) Mrs. Angove, Mrs. F. Morris, Mrs. Edie McKnight, Mrs. Coulter, Mrs. Keays Mrs. Herbert, Mrs. Donna Westerman front row Mrs. Nixon, Mrs. Way-White, Mrs. Whybray, Mrs. Simpson, Mrs. Collings, Mrs. Haddon, Mrs. Block, Mrs. Card. What a great bunch of ladies.  Photo from late Anne (Zufelt) McGoldrick collection)