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As the Rotary Club of Wawa continues to celebrate its 60th year of “SERVICE ABOVE SELF” during the entire month of May, 2021, Wawa Rotarians hope you enjoy the following highlights of other past projects we have enjoyed being a part of. As a Community, YOU truly have contributed, as a Community to the success of our efforts. For that we are truly grateful!
Rotary Radio Auction
If you look closely you can see Rotarian Les Calkins & Rotary Ann Margaret Calkins (top right), and on the phone line Rotarian Gloria Avis (looking over her shoulder) at the Union Hall during the 80’s.
This photo was one of the first auctions held at the MMCC (2000).
This annual project started back in the mid-1980’s. Letters were sent out to the various businesses within our community asking for donations to this project. We would go around after and collect or display the items up for auction at the various businesses. A bid booklet was produced and inserted in the Algoma News Review for everyone to see the items for auction.
On the third Saturday of April, we would have the Radio Auction from 7 pm to 11 pm where anyone could call in a bid on an item they wished to purchase. As each year continued, we kept modifying and expanding this project to make it more friendly for our citizens. In the early years, it was held either at the Union Hall on Mackey Street, then at the Polish Hall on Mission Road. Eventually, we moved it to the Michipicoten Memorial Community Centre, displaying the items there for people to come and have a look at the products, sit and enjoy a beverage and still be able to bid on items with the house phones that were provided.
This past year, 2020, due to the pandemic, we still managed to have this auction in a ‘new way’. It was at a later date as the Club needed time to organize ourselves. Eventually, we were able to do an On-Line Auction in November! It was a great success and it gave everyone a better chance to bid, with bidding being open for a whole week! A huge Thank You to the businesses and artisans that gave so generously over the past 38 years and to all the Rotarians for the work involved in making this project a great success!
Centennial Sight and Sound Project
This project started back in 2004- 2005 as our local Rotary Centennial Project to celebrate Rotary International’s 100th birthday! We started with having the Junior Kindergarten, Senior Kindergarten, and Grade 3 students tested to ensure their vision and hearing was healthy and impairing their abilities to learn. Sault Audiology and Dr. Peter Norris came on board with this project. It was so well received by the teachers and parents that the Club decided to continue with it for another century!
We now have students in JK and Grade 3, along with any other students that are recommended by parents or school staff, tested each year. This project has been a great success each year, with an average of 10 percent of the students tested being identified as requiring further testing to better support their learning. If financial help is required by any family, the Rotary Club of Wawa is also there to assist. Once schools are open again and back to some semblance of normalcy, we will resume this project again. It is a great investment in our future leaders!
Scenic High Falls
For many years starting back in the seventies, the Rotary Club of Wawa took on the design, cleaning, and upkeep of Scenic High Falls, back when it was in its natural state of beauty.
When Great Lakes Power (now Brookfield) constructed the power generation facilities along the Magpie River, Scenic High Falls was part of their plan, creating the current dam at the High Falls site itself, Rotary was part of the planning and discussions but took a back seat to ongoing maintenance of the area. There is still the monument at the site, providing for this historical partnership.
Within the past couple of years, Rotary along with the Municipality and the Power Generation Company have formed partnerships to again help to grow and enhance the area as a great tourist attraction and allow for more amenities to be enjoyed while viewing the Falls in all its splendour!
William Teddy Park
Another project taken on by the Rotary Club of Wawa in the past was operating the local campground at William Teddy Park. In the 1970’s, Rotarians volunteered for a week at a time being the Campground Operator. They took turns collecting the camping fees ($1.50 per night!!) and keeping the park clean. This was an enjoyable project, especially during collection times as the campers were very hospitable to the Rotarians and Rotarians love to talk! Obviously, Rotarians also took turns doing this “chore”. 🙂
Interested in being part of the FUN in FUNdraising and experiencing the satisfaction of Serving your Community and the World? Email [email protected] or talk to any local Rotarian. We would love to hear from you!
Liz Talian-Clarke, President
Rotary Club of Wawa
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