Club History (Bill MacKay)
Not all luncheon meetings in the past were held at a hotel or restaurant, or involve a speaker or special guest.
For many years, the members, along with their spouses, held an annual meeting at the Salvation Army Camp at Roblin Lake. The lunch would be prepared and served by the Camp staff. On at least one occasion, Rotarians had to work for their lunch , planting 67 trees on the Camp's grounds.
In 1995, 40 Rotarians and their guests who were able to pass a very strict security check enjoyed a dinner with the Lifers at Warkworth Prison. It was an unusual experience to be searched upon arrival at dinner and then sit along one side of a long table.
In 1997, The Club treated 50 kids and their families to a cruise on the Bay of Quinte, on the Wayward Princess, and had a BBQ together afterwards.
A starvation meeting , where members paid their usual meal price , but were served only coffee or tea, or water, was also held, and funds collected were split between the Gleaners Food Bank and the Salvation Army. $817 was raised
We also has a dinner meeting once at Warkworth Prison. Ass reported in Rotopics the following week, several members were fined for snacking at their tables during the starvation meal. The meeting was suggested by the RI president as a fund raiser and also to let those attending experience a lunch of nothing.
In 2001, lunch was held at Zwick's Park, and we watched the Sky Hawks land , to celebrate the uniting of local senior elementary school students. Busloads of kids were brought in and they mixed and mingled with each other and with special guests.