Origin of Squamish Rotary Club chartered Sep/66
Posted by Donald Patrick
by Laverne Kindree
The formation of the Squamish Rotary Club was the result of the dream of one man, "Johnny Morrison". Johnny was a long time resident of Squamish and was the manager of MacKenzie's General Store.
The formation of the Squamish Rotary Club was the result of the dream of one man, "Johnny Morrison". Johnny was a long time resident of Squamish and was the manager of MacKenzie's General Store.
I believe Johnny was a nephew of Old Man MacKenzie. Johnny had always been active in the community affairs of Squamish and was active in the Board of Trade, in the days before Squamish was incorporated as a village. Johnny Morrison, John Jacobson, and Stan Clarke were the fathers of that incorporation and I believe constituted the first town council.
In those days, credit cards had not been invented, and Johnny provided credit to citizens for food and clothing. Bills were paid when they could be.
When Norma and I came to Squamish in 1948, Johnny found a lender to provide my first house mortgage. Food and children's clothing were charged and we paid when we could. Goodness knows how many bad debts were carried for people during the hard times of the depression.
Johnny was always concerned with the orderly conduct of community events. One New Year's Eve in order to ensure the orderly conduct of the community dance held in the PGE Hall, Johnny decided to round up the youth who were the town cut-ups (Norm Barr, Robert Ryan, Ron and Robert McCormack). He drove them up to the Brackendale area where the pig farm was and dropped them off to walk back to town. Not to be outdone by Johnny, the boys found a couple of gunny-sacks and caught three little pigs and carried them back to Squamish. They released one of the pigs in Johnny's house (in those days no one locked their house doors). Then went over to the PGE Hall where the dance was being held, and released the other two pigs at the dance...
It was probably in the late '50's the word spread that Johnny Morrison was leaving MacKenzie's store, and leaving Squamish. Alistair MacKenzie took over as manager of the store and and Johnny moved to Prince George. The reason for the sudden change was never explained, but some suspected that Johnny's concern for the welfare of the people of Squamish may have resulted in significant unpaid bills.
In Prince George, Johnny quickly became active in the community, chairing a Red Cross Blood Donor Clinic, later joining the Rotary Club, and eventually becoming President. He then became District Governor of District 5040. It was during his term as District Governor that he returned to Squamish and approached several of us about starting a Rotary Club for Squamish. I think if it had been anyone other than Johnny, the club probably would not have been formed. But he was so well known and liked, that it was impossible to not share his dream of a Rotary Club for Squamish.
Johnny Morrison's personal life exemplified the principles of service above self that is the hallmark of Rotary.
In those days, credit cards had not been invented, and Johnny provided credit to citizens for food and clothing. Bills were paid when they could be.
When Norma and I came to Squamish in 1948, Johnny found a lender to provide my first house mortgage. Food and children's clothing were charged and we paid when we could. Goodness knows how many bad debts were carried for people during the hard times of the depression.
Johnny was always concerned with the orderly conduct of community events. One New Year's Eve in order to ensure the orderly conduct of the community dance held in the PGE Hall, Johnny decided to round up the youth who were the town cut-ups (Norm Barr, Robert Ryan, Ron and Robert McCormack). He drove them up to the Brackendale area where the pig farm was and dropped them off to walk back to town. Not to be outdone by Johnny, the boys found a couple of gunny-sacks and caught three little pigs and carried them back to Squamish. They released one of the pigs in Johnny's house (in those days no one locked their house doors). Then went over to the PGE Hall where the dance was being held, and released the other two pigs at the dance...
It was probably in the late '50's the word spread that Johnny Morrison was leaving MacKenzie's store, and leaving Squamish. Alistair MacKenzie took over as manager of the store and and Johnny moved to Prince George. The reason for the sudden change was never explained, but some suspected that Johnny's concern for the welfare of the people of Squamish may have resulted in significant unpaid bills.
In Prince George, Johnny quickly became active in the community, chairing a Red Cross Blood Donor Clinic, later joining the Rotary Club, and eventually becoming President. He then became District Governor of District 5040. It was during his term as District Governor that he returned to Squamish and approached several of us about starting a Rotary Club for Squamish. I think if it had been anyone other than Johnny, the club probably would not have been formed. But he was so well known and liked, that it was impossible to not share his dream of a Rotary Club for Squamish.
Johnny Morrison's personal life exemplified the principles of service above self that is the hallmark of Rotary.