ROTARY RAISES $36,000 FOR CHARITIES, HONOURS FIRST RESPONDERS, HOSTING HEALTH HUB CONCERT JULY 3, PUBLIC MEETING JULY 16

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

GRAVENHURST — What do a scotch tasting, round of golf, high school honours and last year’s snow storm have in common?

Answer: Rotarians.

The service club recently raised $18,000 — each — at an evening scotch tasting and an afternoon of golf at Bigwin Resort in aid of local charities.

The five-course scotch tasting meal — with a different sip with each course starting with haggis — included an auction of more than a dozen rare scotches and wines by Rotarian and “Scotch Blender” Steve Rae.

Craig Hunter, of Hunter Electric who entertained a table of friends, bid $2,400 for one bottle alone. But he forgot his credit card and had to borrow one from a reluctant good friend — who no doubt will be sharing in that tasting.

Rotarian Ross Jeffery presents the haggis to fellow Rotarian and “Scotch Master” Steve Rae. PHOTOS Mark Clairmont
Rae raffled off rare scotches and wines to help the club raise $18,000 on the night.
The kilts and tartans came out in colourful clan ways as diners enjoyed dressing up in their Scottish finery.

Up in Lake of Bays, the Gravenhurst and Bracebridge service clubs, who’ve been sharing the popular fundraiser for years, continue to score big for charity splitting the proceeds.

GHS students honoured

And just this past Thursday three more Gravenhurst High School students were honoured for their outstanding contributions to school and community life with monthly awards of $150 encouraging them to continue their pursuits of education and happiness.

Gravenhurst High School students Vasish Sangu, left, Markeyon Smith and Cloe Cubitt were recognized as the past months’ recipients of good school conduct and leading learners. PHOTO Rotarian Kathryn McGill

First responders recognition

Also at that same noon meeting at the Opera House, first responders, too, were recognized for their extraordinary efforts particularly during last winter’s “monumental storm” and then four months later “to the day” the spring ice storm.

Gravenhurst Rotary president John Latour, right, with GFD deputy chief Todd Clapp, Det. Derek Oates, Insp. Wade Bebee, Rotarians Harold Coffin and John Cooper and GFD Fire Chief Jared Cayley. PHOTOS Rotarian Kathryn McGill.

While deputy EMS chief Stu McKinnon was unavailable due to filling for chief Stu McKinnon who is no longer with Muskoka Paramedic Services, the Gravenhurst Fire Department and OPP representatives were present.

They talked about the logistics of alone dealing with the wild weather events.

Inspector Wade Bebee said just digging police cruisers out was one of their first tasks his officers undertook to get them on the road to respond over the first four days.

He, himself, was stuck at home in the early hours of Nov. 30 commanding his additional officers — some who responded on snowmobiles — when they were called in on for extra duty.

From the start of 911 calls that Thursday he knew it was going to be long and difficult, when a large tow truck called in to help remove a jack-knifed Hwy. 11 transport snapped its cable adding to the highway closure from Orillia to Huntsville.

During the storm police who had no accommodation at the detachment and couldn’t access booked-up hotels had to sleep in their OPP vehicles.

When they extricated themselves they dealt the myriad of calls including hauling hay and water to cows stranded along the highways in stuck transports.

As incident commander for his own detachment he pulled in other provincial resources including an OPP helicopter that flew over to assess the situation — before being assisted with a regional incident commander called in from by the OPP’s headquarters in Orillia.

The chopper was also called upon to rescue a woman who went hiking in the woods and had to be airlifted out.

Bebee said along with having to get to Huntsville for cruiser refuels, he tried to contact Google to ask them to re-calibrate their GPS mapping system around Muskoka.

Too little luck he noted.

Eventually he said with four feet of fallen snow doubling in size as one lane of traffic finally came open — with the aid of big snowblowers from Pearson Airport and elsewhere — it was just “take care of the people the best we could.”

Rotarian and retired OPP officer Harold Coffin presents Rotary Challenge coin to Clapp.

Jared Cayley, fire chief in Gravenhurst, recognized Todd Clapp the town’s Community Emergency Management Co-ordinator, lauding him for his “calm” demeanour and under fire level-headedness.

“That’s not just lip service either,” he said of the shy deputy chief who also routinely provides a “firm steady hand” in his recruitment and other multiple department tasks.

Cayley said he was proud to have Clapp at his side at the “centre of two maelstroms” as he proved “he was the right man for the job.”

Each recipient received a Rotary “challenge coin” on which it’s four-way test and “Service Above Self” motto were inscribed on either side.

Each service received a $150 cheque to be forwarded to their charity of choice: OSPCA (GFD), Mind-Aid (OPP) and Paramedic Monument (MPS).

Health Hub public meeting July 16

Rotary is also hosting a public information centre (PIC) meeting July 16 — 6-8 p.m. — at the Opera House re: its planned renovation for a new Health Hub on the Cottage Family Health team’s second floor.

HH concert fundraiser July 3

Rotarian Steve Rae (Scotch Master) will also perform at the Opera House July 3 with his band as an additional HH fundraiser.

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