| Fact & Fantasy: A History of Tavistock & District | Organizations - Page 112 |
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Tavistock Rod and Gun Club A new organization came into being on Thursday, January 23, 1967 at a meeting of more than forty sportsmen in the Tavistock and District Memorial Hall. The aims of the organization are to conserve the fish and game to teach individuals the proper handling of firearms, to co-operate with the Department of Lands and Forests and farmers, and to teach the proper handling of boats in all waters. The aim of the membership chairman Bill Bannerman was 100 members with the membership fee set at $5. The executive for 1967 was: Monthly meetings are held in the Legion Hall. In 1967 the club was quite active in raising funds by means of dance and draws, particularly the Centennial Dress Ball. The Men's Club and Board of Trade This organization came into being on a provisional basis on December 3, 1937, when professional and business men of the village met at the Arlington Hotel under the aegis of the Rev.J.W. Siebert, pastor of Zion Evangelical Church and Norman L. Small, Principal of the Continuation School. Subsequently it was named the Men's Club with aims to foster Fellowship, Civic Enterprise. Community Service, knowledge; political and partisan activities were banned in its constitution. The membership was open to all males of legal age at an annual fee of $7 with 9 meetings per year, the one in January being the annual one for final reports and the installation of officers. An amended constitution was adopted on January 18, 1951 to include a nominating committee of 3, appointed by the president at the October meeting to bring in a slate of officers at the November meeting. On February 16, 1956 representatives from the Woodstock and Kitchener areas urged the Men's club to join the Board of Trade or Chamber of Commerce. The charter was presented in the new Memorial Hall on September 15, 1956. The name then became the Tavistock Men's Club and Board of Trade; the meetings were increased to 10, with none in July and August, to be held the third Thursday at 6:45 p.m. Catering was to be done on a rotating basis by organizations of the community. The formal enrolling of members took place on April 26, 1938 with 23 signing up: the roster for the year included: Gordon Ratz, Walter Faber, Emerson Kalbfleisch, John Pfeiffer, Orlo Perritt, Edwin Ballantyne. Robert Walter, Harold Wilker, Charles Klein, John Lemp, Rev. O.T.C. Stockmann, Robert Rudy, Carl Eifert, Carl Seltzer, Jocob Seltzer, Norman L. Small, Lloyd Faber, Wildred Corp, George Holley, Dr, H,M. Taylor, Harry Nuttall, Rev. George Birtch, Dr. Jack Fisher, James H. Francis, Rev. J.W. Siebert, Henry J. Neeb, K. Hart Brown, Walter Siegner, The officers for the year were chosed at a meeting in the Masonic Hall: President - Norman L. Small Usually the vice-presidents moved up the succeeding year and this has become more or less a precedent: the presidents were as follows: 1939 - James H. Francis The secretaries have been: The treasurers have been: From 1937 - June 1939 the club met at the Arlington Hotel, from 1939 - June 1956 at the Library Hall. With the September meeting in 1956, the venue has been the small hall in the Memorial Hall ever since. In 1967 the dues were raised to $17.50 and the membership had climbed to 65 with the addition of members from the rural area. On January 1, 1968 the dues will be increased to $20 with caterers to be paid $1.75 per plate. The projects of the club have been many and varied. Since the meeting of March 23, 1938 it has sponsored Scouts and Cubs. Ladies Nights have been held annually. Christmas Parties with packs for the youngsters have been moved from outdoors on the square around the lighted tree into the arena or Memorial Hall. Over 700 Children's hearts share in Santa's bounty. Hockey for the boys and softball have been sponsored through out the years with the help from the Legion and the Rotary Club. In 1948 the club turned its newly installed flood-lights in the Queen's Park over to the village. Donations have been made to Red Cross, C.S.S. of Oxford, Y.M.C.A. of Stratford, the W.I. for the library piano. These monies have been raised through spring and fall frolics, bingos and euchre parties, the "200" club, turkey draws, Perhaps the most lucrative source has been the Sauerkraut Supper held annually since 1959; that year the club netted $440, in 1960 $406, in 1961 $675, in 1967 $1400. Up until this year a costume party was held on Hallowe'en, with splendid turnouts and prizes. The club has made available to the community a projector and screen since March 1950 and a movable stage since 1951. In 1954, house numbers were issued by the club with the naming of all the streets. The club has taken the lead in promoting and advertising the village's advantages as a shopping and industrial centre with welcome signs at the entrances from east and west and north and south. In February 1944 under the leadership of Jack Lemp and Bill Seltzer an Old Curousity Shoppe was held in the 'Masonic Hall with 283 entries and an attendance of over 800. But highest in the list is the continuing suppport of the Blood Donor Clinic in Stratford; during the incumbency of "Steve" Faber, the club did such an excellent job that it won a special mention in the Beacon-Herald for its number of supporters, almost one hundred, but more so for the despatch with which the blood was kept flowing. Without detracting from the lesser givers, Clarence Neeb has received special recognition from the clinic for 64 donations; Walter Schaefer since leavng the Armed Forces has made the trip 42 times with a rare type; Ronald Seltzer and Morris Snarey have been regular donors; as recently as November of this year the call was again heard.
1967 - 1968 Executive Back Row: Clarence Neeb, Bill Bannerman, Lorne Yausie |
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