InFocus Magazine

Brian Bloomfield stands in his woodworking shop and surveys an assortment of cedar boards that are neatly laid out against a wall.  The rough-hewn Western Red Cedar is standing vertically—like a dense forest of trees.  Bloomfield examines each one carefully, check
sometimes reaching out to touch this one or that, viagra sale
as though the wood might energetically relay a message to him or tell a story.

He has hand-picked every single piece of cedar in his shop.  During the selection process at local suppliers he looks for the best old growth lumber harvested from Vancouver Island.  He has an artistic eye for fine details, matching colors and wood grain patterns, while imagining whether the individual piece of wood is destined to become part of a chair or a table… or something else.

Bloomfield developed an interest in woodworking when he was a boy growing up in rural Manitoba.  His first introduction to the craft was at a church at the age of six.

“I lived in Napinka, a small town of 250 people,” he recalls.  “There were four churches and one offered woodworking projects for kids.  It was there that I discovered that I liked the smell of fresh cut wood.  When I was a little older, I spent endless hours working alongside my grandfather and uncle, both of whom were carpenters.  They stressed to me that anything I build should be built to last.  It is a life lesson that I have never forgotten.”

Decades later, Brian Bloomfield is now the wood craftsman/designer/manufacturer/owner behind a successful Vancouver Island enterprise called Bloomfield Flats Custom Cedar Furniture.  His wife, Judy, “does everything else”—including managing orders and keeping the books from their home-based office just south of Courtenay.  While they are a company of only two, the Bloomfields have built a solid reputation for excellence in custom-crafted cedar furniture.  Their furniture has been sold to hundreds of customers on Vancouver Island and the mainland, as well as clients across Canada, the United States and into Europe.  People recognize a superior product when they see it and appreciate the beauty and durability of Western Red Cedar.

Brian Bloomfield moved from Manitoba to Vancouver in 1979, where he continued what would turn out to be a 35-year career in the aircraft industry.  He also worked hard to build a life on Vancouver Island.  From 1981 through 1989, he commuted from the Comox Valley to his Richmond-based job—often by motorcycle—every weekend.

“We met in 1981, on the lawn of the Heriot Bay Marina on Quadra Island,” recalls Judy, a Vancouver Islander by birth.  “There were a group of us traveling by boat to view real estate on Maurelle Island.  I was looking for a recreational property, not a relationship.  Four years later, we were married.  Our son, Orie, was born in 1989.  Orie still lives on Vancouver Island and has acquired a skill for working with wood from his father—he is a third year carpentry apprentice.”

The chair that would change the course of the Bloomfield’s lives appeared soon after they met. Judy came home one day with a couple of rickety old wooden chairs that she had purchased for $5 each at a garage sale.  She had no idea these ‘treasures’ would be the start of a new enterprise built around her husband’s hobby.

“Sure, the paint was chipped and they wiggled if you sat on them but I knew that Brian might be able to fix the chairs,” recalls Judy with a smile.  “At the time, the only outdoor furniture we owned were two very flimsy and uncomfortable folding chairs.”

“I immediately threw one of the chairs onto our burn pile,” says Brian with a hearty laugh.  “The other—a Cape Cod-style wooden chair—looked interesting.  I brought it into my workshop, dismantled it, analyzed it… and then burned it!  But that chair became the inspiration for a pattern to construct a modified version with twice the thickness of cedar (not fir), a wider seat, extra reinforcements, routered edges, and lots of sanding.  Now, THAT was a thing of beauty!  Thirty years later we are still using that chair!”

‘That chair’ was a welcome addition to the couple’s yard.  It was so comfortable that friends and family fought over who would get to sit in it.  Soon, he had to make more for the yard—and for others.  The orders started coming in.

“Brian, can you make me one just like that but higher for my long legs—or shorter for my short legs?”

“Brian, can you make me one just like that but a loveseat?”

“Please make me two chairs with an attached table in between.”

Lorna Bridge of Country Catering and Brian Walker of Walker Small Engine Repair placed the first ‘official order’ of six chairs.  They still own and enjoy them 28 years later.

The Bloomfields soon realized that they had found a market niche.  They decided that Brian would officially make chairs as a sideline business and attend a couple of events per year to showcase his products.  This would give some focus to the furniture enterprise without cutting into other work commitments and family time too much.  They needed time to work on the hobby farm and to enjoy the cabin they had built on Maurelle Island.

In the mid 1980s, the general public got their first view of what was then sold as ‘BNB Cedar Furniture’—short for Brian N. Bloomfield.  They displayed their wares at the Comox Valley Farmers’ Market and the Filberg Festival.

In 1986, the Bloomfields purchased a 20-acre parcel of raw land from Comox Valley environmental crusader Ruth Masters.

“We had been living in a small house across the road from this spectacular piece of land, located on Fraser Road, just south of Courtenay,” explains Brian.   “We loved the mix of trees and natural pastures and that Millard Creek—a spawning bed for Coho and Chum salmon— ran across the back half of it.  We made a solemn promise to Ruth Masters that we would respect the environmental integrity of the land.”

The Bloomfields then began carefully selecting trees and milling timber from their new acreage. “The land gave us enough lumber to build a workshop, a barn and corrals for Judy’s horses, and a home,” explains Brian. “The first building constructed was, of course, a workshop, so I could continue to build cedar furniture on weekends. The last building to be completed was a large timber frame home. Where possible, I used re-cycled materials, some of which I brought home from the mainland on the back of my motorcycle.”

The farmstead became known as Bloomfield Flats when a family friend made up the name, crafted a wooden sign, and hung it on the entrance gate.  The name stuck.

Years later, the Bloomfields fulfilled the environmental stewardship pledge they had made to Masters when they purchased the property.  They registered the first legal covenant in the British Columbia Agricultural Land Research (ALR)—a designation that ensures the land will remain undeveloped in perpetuity.  Inspired, in part, by Masters’ commitment to environmental stewardship, Brian became a dedicated social and environmental crusader, too.  In addition to many volunteer commitments over the past 25 years, he is the outgoing president of the Millard-Piercy Watershed Stewards, a local non-profit organization with a mission to maintain and restore the watershed.

The Bloomfields would enjoy life at Bloomfield Flats until 2006, when they decided to sell the farm and downsize.  Fond memories and many friends had been made during 20 years of community gatherings and potluck dinners held at the acreage.  The chicken wire backstop and ball diamond that Brian had built in the corner of the hay field had become an integral part of almost every gathering and had provided seemingly endless hours of fun and laughter. But it was time to move.  Considering that they loved living in the rural triangle between Courtenay, Royston and Cumberland, they purchased an existing home with a view of the bay, just down the road from Bloomfield Flats.

Says Judy:  “We enjoyed living in this neighborhood so much, we just didn’t have the heart to leave the area!”

In 2009, Judy left her job with the School District.  One month later, due to the economic downturn, Brian’s 35-year career in airframe sheet metal abruptly came to an end.  Once again, their lives would take on a new direction because of ‘that chair.’

In January 2010, with the help of Community Futures Strathcona, Bloomfield Flats Custom Cedar Furniture became a fulltime business.  Weekdays you will find Brian busy building furniture in his workshop.  Weekends (and some evenings) he, Judy, and their Australian Cattle Dog, Winnie, take a trailer packed with furniture and hit the road.  The product is displayed at venues throughout Vancouver Island.

“The feedback from customers of all persuasions has been nothing short of phenomenal,” says Judy.  “People appreciate Brian’s craftsmanship, attention to detail, design and comfort.”

Over the years, Brian had continued to tweak the design of the Cape Cod/Adirondack or Eastcoast-style chair he had started with until he was 100 per cent satisfied with the finished product.  Now, with more time on his hands for research and development, plus a number of customer requests for a chair that was easier to get in and out of, he designed his own style of seating that he labeled the ‘Westcoast’ chair.  It was officially launched in January 2010.

“My Westcoast chair is ergonomically designed with the seat higher off the ground, a more upright back for better lumbar support and—as requested—it is easy to get in and out of,” explains Brian.  “These comfort and ‘ease of exit’ features are especially appreciated by the Baby Boomer generation.  The Westcoast model has been very well received and now out-sells the Eastcoast chairs.  I also build short or tall versions of my chairs, to custom fit people with longer or shorter legs.”

Brian guides me through his workshop, which is piled high with cedar furniture in various states of assembly. He points to one of his custom-crafted Westcoast chairs. “Please be seated,” he says with a smile.

I settle down into the chair and am amazed how comfortable it is.  Without a doubt, “sitting is believing!”  The only thing that could improve the experience is a cold beer and an ocean view! I get a flashback to when I was pregnant more than 20 years ago.  I had made the mistake of settling down in a low-slung Eastcoast-style chair at a friend’s house.  It took a Herculean effort on my part to exit that chair without the assistance of a crane!  I remind Brian that a wide variety of people will appreciate the ‘ease of exit’ feature of the Westcoast chair, not just Baby Boomers.

While the custom-crafted range of chairs built to accommodate most sizes of individuals remain a customer favorite, Brian also makes loveseats, combination table/chair models, plus a variety of tables, barstools, footstools, garden trugs, and other custom-built items upon request.  For example, he crafted the beautiful 12-foot long cedar banquet table in the lower level of the Old House Restaurant.

“Growing from a side-line business to a full-time venture was a huge leap of faith for us,” adds Judy.  “Thirty years ago we never could have imagined that Brian’s love of building things with wood could be our main source of income.  We are grateful to Community Futures Strathcona, the Comox Valley Home-Based Business Association, the members of the Chamber of Commerce, and the hundreds of customers who have been so supportive of this adventure.”

Brian agrees.  “As we celebrate our 30 years of success this summer, Judy and I extend our sincere thanks to the people of the Comox Valley and beyond for supporting our business,” he says.

“We are confident that our furniture will stand the test of time.  In our ‘throw away society’ it feels good to know that Bloomfield Flats Custom Cedar Furniture will last.”

For more information visit www.bloomfieldflats.ca.

Brian Bloomfield stands in his woodworking shop and surveys an assortment of cedar boards that are neatly laid out against a wall.  The rough-hewn Western Red Cedar is standing vertically—like a dense forest of trees.  Bloomfield examines each one carefully, sometimes reaching out to touch this one or that, as though the wood might energetically relay a message to him or tell a story.

He has hand-picked every single piece of cedar in his shop.  During the selection process at local suppliers he looks for the best old growth lumber harvested from Vancouver Island.  He has an artistic eye for fine details, matching colors and wood grain patterns, while imagining whether the individual piece of wood is destined to become part of a chair or a table… or something else.

Bloomfield developed an interest in woodworking when he was a boy growing up in rural Manitoba.  His first introduction to the craft was at a church at the age of six.

“I lived in Napinka, a small town of 250 people,” he recalls.  “There were four churches and one offered woodworking projects for kids.  It was there that I discovered that I liked the smell of fresh cut wood.  When I was a little older, I spent endless hours working alongside my grandfather and uncle, both of whom were carpenters.  They stressed to me that anything I build should be built to last.  It is a life lesson that I have never forgotten.”

Decades later, Brian Bloomfield is now the wood craftsman/designer/manufacturer/owner behind a successful Vancouver Island enterprise called Bloomfield Flats Custom Cedar Furniture.  His wife, Judy, “does everything else”—including managing orders and keeping the books from their home-based office just south of Courtenay.  While they are a company of only two, the Bloomfields have built a solid reputation for excellence in custom-crafted cedar furniture.  Their furniture has been sold to hundreds of customers on Vancouver Island and the mainland, as well as clients across Canada, the United States and into Europe.  People recognize a superior product when they see it and appreciate the beauty and durability of Western Red Cedar.

Brian Bloomfield moved from Manitoba to Vancouver in 1979, where he continued what would turn out to be a 35-year career in the aircraft industry.  He also worked hard to build a life on Vancouver Island.  From 1981 through 1989, he commuted from the Comox Valley to his Richmond-based job—often by motorcycle—every weekend.

“We met in 1981, on the lawn of the Heriot Bay Marina on Quadra Island,” recalls Judy, a Vancouver Islander by birth.  “There were a group of us traveling by boat to view real estate on Maurelle Island.  I was looking for a recreational property, not a relationship.  Four years later, we were married.  Our son, Orie, was born in 1989.  Orie still lives on Vancouver Island and has acquired a skill for working with wood from his father—he is a third year carpentry apprentice.”

The chair that would change the course of the Bloomfield’s lives appeared soon after they met. Judy came home one day with a couple of rickety old wooden chairs that she had purchased for $5 each at a garage sale.  She had no idea these ‘treasures’ would be the start of a new enterprise built around her husband’s hobby.

“Sure, the paint was chipped and they wiggled if you sat on them but I knew that Brian might be able to fix the chairs,” recalls Judy with a smile.  “At the time, the only outdoor furniture we owned were two very flimsy and uncomfortable folding chairs.”

“I immediately threw one of the chairs onto our burn pile,” says Brian with a hearty laugh.  “The other—a Cape Cod-style wooden chair—looked interesting.  I brought it into my workshop, dismantled it, analyzed it… and then burned it!  But that chair became the inspiration for a pattern to construct a modified version with twice the thickness of cedar (not fir), a wider seat, extra reinforcements, routered edges, and lots of sanding.  Now, THAT was a thing of beauty!  Thirty years later we are still using that chair!”

‘That chair’ was a welcome addition to the couple’s yard.  It was so comfortable that friends and family fought over who would get to sit in it.  Soon, he had to make more for the yard—and for others.  The orders started coming in.

“Brian, can you make me one just like that but higher for my long legs—or shorter for my short legs?”

“Brian, can you make me one just like that but a loveseat?”

“Please make me two chairs with an attached table in between.”

Lorna Bridge of Country Catering and Brian Walker of Walker Small Engine Repair placed the first ‘official order’ of six chairs.  They still own and enjoy them 28 years later.

The Bloomfields soon realized that they had found a market niche.  They decided that Brian would officially make chairs as a sideline business and attend a couple of events per year to showcase his products.  This would give some focus to the furniture enterprise without cutting into other work commitments and family time too much.  They needed time to work on the hobby farm and to enjoy the cabin they had built on Maurelle Island.

In the mid 1980s, the general public got their first view of what was then sold as ‘BNB Cedar Furniture’—short for Brian N. Bloomfield.  They displayed their wares at the Comox Valley Farmers’ Market and the Filberg Festival.

In 1986, the Bloomfields purchased a 20-acre parcel of raw land from Comox Valley environmental crusader Ruth Masters.

“We had been living in a small house across the road from this spectacular piece of land, located on Fraser Road, just south of Courtenay,” explains Brian.   “We loved the mix of trees and natural pastures and that Millard Creek—a spawning bed for Coho and Chum salmon— ran across the back half of it.  We made a solemn promise to Ruth Masters that we would respect the environmental integrity of the land.”

The Bloomfields then began carefully selecting trees and milling timber from their new acreage. “The land gave us enough lumber to build a workshop, a barn and corrals for Judy’s horses, and a home,” explains Brian. “The first building constructed was, of course, a workshop, so I could continue to build cedar furniture on weekends. The last building to be completed was a large timber frame home. Where possible, I used re-cycled materials, some of which I brought home from the mainland on the back of my motorcycle.”

The farmstead became known as Bloomfield Flats when a family friend made up the name, crafted a wooden sign, and hung it on the entrance gate.  The name stuck.

Years later, the Bloomfields fulfilled the environmental stewardship pledge they had made to Masters when they purchased the property.  They registered the first legal covenant in the British Columbia Agricultural Land Research (ALR)—a designation that ensures the land will remain undeveloped in perpetuity.  Inspired, in part, by Masters’ commitment to environmental stewardship, Brian became a dedicated social and environmental crusader, too.  In addition to many volunteer commitments over the past 25 years, he is the outgoing president of the Millard-Piercy Watershed Stewards, a local non-profit organization with a mission to maintain and restore the watershed.

The Bloomfields would enjoy life at Bloomfield Flats until 2006, when they decided to sell the farm and downsize.  Fond memories and many friends had been made during 20 years of community gatherings and potluck dinners held at the acreage.  The chicken wire backstop and ball diamond that Brian had built in the corner of the hay field had become an integral part of almost every gathering and had provided seemingly endless hours of fun and laughter. But it was time to move.  Considering that they loved living in the rural triangle between Courtenay, Royston and Cumberland, they purchased an existing home with a view of the bay, just down the road from Bloomfield Flats.

Says Judy:  “We enjoyed living in this neighborhood so much, we just didn’t have the heart to leave the area!”

In 2009, Judy left her job with the School District.  One month later, due to the economic downturn, Brian’s 35-year career in airframe sheet metal abruptly came to an end.  Once again, their lives would take on a new direction because of ‘that chair.’

In January 2010, with the help of Community Futures Strathcona, Bloomfield Flats Custom Cedar Furniture became a fulltime business.  Weekdays you will find Brian busy building furniture in his workshop.  Weekends (and some evenings) he, Judy, and their Australian Cattle Dog, Winnie, take a trailer packed with furniture and hit the road.  The product is displayed at venues throughout Vancouver Island.

“The feedback from customers of all persuasions has been nothing short of phenomenal,” says Judy.  “People appreciate Brian’s craftsmanship, attention to detail, design and comfort.”

Over the years, Brian had continued to tweak the design of the Cape Cod/Adirondack or Eastcoast-style chair he had started with until he was 100 per cent satisfied with the finished product.  Now, with more time on his hands for research and development, plus a number of customer requests for a chair that was easier to get in and out of, he designed his own style of seating that he labeled the ‘Westcoast’ chair.  It was officially launched in January 2010.

“My Westcoast chair is ergonomically designed with the seat higher off the ground, a more upright back for better lumbar support and—as requested—it is easy to get in and out of,” explains Brian.  “These comfort and ‘ease of exit’ features are especially appreciated by the Baby Boomer generation.  The Westcoast model has been very well received and now out-sells the Eastcoast chairs.  I also build short or tall versions of my chairs, to custom fit people with longer or shorter legs.”

Brian guides me through his workshop, which is piled high with cedar furniture in various states of assembly. He points to one of his custom-crafted Westcoast chairs. “Please be seated,” he says with a smile.

I settle down into the chair and am amazed how comfortable it is.  Without a doubt, “sitting is believing!”  The only thing that could improve the experience is a cold beer and an ocean view! I get a flashback to when I was pregnant more than 20 years ago.  I had made the mistake of settling down in a low-slung Eastcoast-style chair at a friend’s house.  It took a Herculean effort on my part to exit that chair without the assistance of a crane!  I remind Brian that a wide variety of people will appreciate the ‘ease of exit’ feature of the Westcoast chair, not just Baby Boomers.

While the custom-crafted range of chairs built to accommodate most sizes of individuals remain a customer favorite, Brian also makes loveseats, combination table/chair models, plus a variety of tables, barstools, footstools, garden trugs, and other custom-built items upon request.  For example, he crafted the beautiful 12-foot long cedar banquet table in the lower level of the Old House Restaurant.

“Growing from a side-line business to a full-time venture was a huge leap of faith for us,” adds Judy.  “Thirty years ago we never could have imagined that Brian’s love of building things with wood could be our main source of income.  We are grateful to Community Futures Strathcona, the Comox Valley Home-Based Business Association, the members of the Chamber of Commerce, and the hundreds of customers who have been so supportive of this adventure.”

Brian agrees.  “As we celebrate our 30 years of success this summer, Judy and I extend our sincere thanks to the people of the Comox Valley and beyond for supporting our business,” he says.

“We are confident that our furniture will stand the test of time.  In our ‘throw away society’ it feels good to know that Bloomfield Flats Custom Cedar Furniture will last.”

For more information visit www.bloomfieldflats.ca.

Naomi Carmichael, Deb Nolan, Holly Grant and Lynn Brandon are dressed in black waistcoats and top hats, circa 1905.  Fake moustaches and beards are haphazardly pasted on the women’s faces and they are trying valiantly not to laugh.

It is a sunny evening in late June, 2011.  A crowd of more than 100 Courtenay Rotary Club members and guests are in attendance at their Annual Installation Dinner at the Westerly Hotel.  They roar with laughter as the women in black do their best to stage a reenactment of the very first Rotary Club meeting that was held in Chicago 106 years ago.

One by one, the ‘actors’ rise from their chairs and pretend to gaze into a ‘crystal ball’ in the middle of their table.  They ‘smoke’ fake cigars and make off-the-cuff comments as they pretend to foresee the future of Rotary—one that did not include women members amongst their ranks.

The Courtenay Rotary Club was gathered for the installation ceremony of its 2011/2012 executive, directors and officers, and to celebrate the start of its 75th year.  The comical skit served two purposes:  it is a traditional part of this club’s installation ceremony and was also a way to have some fun while celebrating a very important Rotary International (RI) historical milestone—the 25th anniversary of women in Rotary.

These particular women are performing in the skit not because of their acting abilities—that is quite obvious—but because they are all incoming presidents for the four Rotary Clubs in the Comox Valley: Carmichael represents the Courtenay Rotary Club, Grant is the new head of the Comox Club, Brandon is with Strathcona Sunrise, and Nolan now leads Cumberland Centennial. (See story next page.)

They end their parody with a flourish, shedding their waistcoats to reveal black T-shirts emblazoned with the word ‘Rotary’ in sparkling rhinestones. They sing and dance in a not-so-perfectly choreographed chorus-line style to the strains of the song Now is the Time.  The crowd gives a standing ovation and heartily applauds them for their efforts.

This skit will be re-enacted three more times, at the installation ceremonies for the other three Comox Valley Rotary Clubs.  And, despite the jovial nature of their performances, these four women know that their roles as presidents of their respective clubs carry tremendous responsibility. They are all embarking on what will be one of the most important years of their lives.  This may be the 25th anniversary of women in Rotary International but, coincidentally, it is also the first year in the entire history of Rotary in the Comox Valley that the presidents of all four clubs will be of the female persuasion. It is a very big deal!

Today, many of us take gender-rights for granted.  But as Rotarians celebrate this milestone event, we must acknowledge that women’s ‘right to join Rotary’ was a decades-long effort of both men and women campaigning for gender equality worldwide.  The first documented effort was in 1950, when an enactment to delete the word ‘male’ from the Standard Rotary Club Constitution was processed by a club in India.  From 1950 to 1989, the RI Council considered a total of 13 proposals to allow women to join.

Despite the fact that they could not be Rotary members, women have played an important role in the organization from its early years.  Prior to 1987, wives of Rotary members were called ‘Rotary Anns.’ This designation was never one of disparagement, but rather grew out of an interesting historical occasion, as explained in this excerpt from an article published by the Rotary Global History Fellowship:

“In 1914, when San Francisco Rotarians boarded a special train to attend the Rotary Convention being held in Houston, Texas, few wives attended Rotary events. When the train stopped in Los Angeles, the only woman aboard was the wife of Rotarian Bru Brunnier.

”As the train picked up additional convention-bound delegates, Mrs. Ann Brunnier was introduced as the ‘Rotarian’s Ann.’ This was soon shortened to ‘Rotary Ann’.  Upon the train’s arrival at the Houston depot, a delegation greeted the West Coast Rotarians. One of the greeters was Guy Gundaker of Philadelphia, whose wife was also named Ann. The same term of endearment was then used for all of the wives in attendance and the name ‘Rotary Ann’ was here to stay.”

The first official Rotary Ann Auxiliary Organization was formed in Oklahoma City in 1928 and its acceptance spread to thousands of clubs throughout the world.  One of the purposes of a Rotary Ann Club was to bring the families of the members of Rotary into fellowship.  Other objectives included assisting Rotarians in the execution of various club and community projects, and upholding the purposes and aims of Rotary.

A Rotary Ann group was started in Courtenay in the 1930s and all Rotary wives were invited to join (and most did). Comox Valley resident Margaret Gansner became involved in 1962, when her husband, John Gansner, became a member of the Courtenay Rotary Club that same year.  Forty-nine years later, he is proud to still be a member of this worthy organization but Mrs. Gansner is no longer a Rotary Ann.  Here’s why:

In 1977, the Rotary Club of Duarte, California, made the bold decision to admit women as members. This was in direct violation of the RI and the Standard Rotary Club Constitutions. Because of this violation, the club’s membership in RI was terminated in 1978.  The ensuing litigation proceedings lasted years.  On May 4, 1987, the US Supreme Court declared Rotary could not exclude women on the basis of gender. Even though the ‘official’ approval from RI would not come for a couple more years, women’s names soon began appearing on membership rosters almost everywhere.

In 1989, the RI’s Council on Legislation officially voted in favor of admitting women as Rotary members. This was a watershed moment in the organization’s history.  It is interesting to note that, although a majority vote was achieved, there were 328 votes in favor of allowing women and 117 against.

“When women were [legally] permitted to join Rotary in 1987, Rotary Anns were left wondering what our role would be,” recalls Margaret Gansner with a touch of remorse.  “We considered inviting the husbands to join us and call the group ‘Rotary Anns and Andys.’  But we eventually came to the conclusion that we were obsolete and thus dissolved.  The friendships formed through Rotary Anns, however, have been enduring and we take pride in the fact that we made so many worthwhile contributions in our time.”

“The general attitude here in the Comox Valley prior to the 1989 US Supreme Court decision was one of acceptance of Rotary as a ‘Men’s Club’ in much the same way as Soroptomist’s International was considered to be a ‘Women’s Club,’ explains John Gansner.  “There was no issue.”

Gansner recalled that when the Supreme Court decision was handed down in 1987, followed by RI’s vote in 1989, there was considerable dismay within the ranks of Rotarians locally.  A few Comox Valley members actually resigned.

“Looking back over the 25 years since the decision, however, much has changed and women are now welcome members of the group and have become essential to its function,” he adds.  “While most of the local club expansions occurred prior to their entry, their inclusion has kept RI membership and our local clubs relatively stable, at a time when many other service clubs have had difficulty sustaining members.

“There can be no question that RI’s 1989 decision was the correct one for the Association, for Rotary Clubs internationally, and the Rotary Clubs of the Comox Valley,” concludes Gansner.  “As a result, we have been able to maintain our international, community and vocational services without interruption.  After all, these functions, along with friendship, comprise the purpose of Rotary.”

Today, while a high percentage of Rotarians are men, there are well over 200,000 women in Rotary worldwide.  While these women recognize and appreciate the contributions of the Rotary Anns that blazed trails before them, and the Rotary spouses who currently support various initiatives, they are proud of the fact that, when it comes to the leadership of their respective clubs, they can stand beside, not behind, their ‘men.’

The Strathcona Sunrise’s Club new president, Lynn Brandon, grew up in the Comox Valley but joined her first Rotary Club while living in Prince Edward Island.  She became a charter (founding) member of the Stratford Rotary Club in 2002.  When she and her family moved back to Vancouver Island in 2005, finding a new Rotary Club was a top priority.

“I decided to join the Strathcona Sunrise Club because the timing of their meeting best suited my schedule,” explains Brandon.  “I was privileged to take on a position on the board of directors and now look forward to serving my fellow Rotarians and the community as club president.”

An individual’s anniversary of joining a Rotary Club is always celebrated, but most Rotarians will tell you that there is usually a pivotal moment where they feel they have become a true Rotarian.

“For me, that moment came in 2010, when I was at the RI Convention in Montreal,” explains Brandon. “As I looked around the stadium filled with 20,000 other Rotarians from around the world, I realized the inclusivity and the tremendous potential of Rotary.  We are all just people—gender, race and religion simply do not factor into it—and we are working for a common purpose: to simply do good in the world.”

Naomi Carmichael joined the Courtenay Rotary Club in 2005, and feels that she truly became a Rotarian soon after.  “I knew almost immediately that being involved with this organization would be life-changing for me,” explains Carmichael.  “That summer, while at a Rotary work bee to paint the gazebo at the Courtenay Air Park, I took a moment to step back and quietly observe as my husband and kids, along with other Rotarians and their families, worked and laughed and made a difference in our community. I was overwhelmed with emotion because this sense of fellowship, the sharing, and cooperation I was seeing was what it is all about.”

Carmichael admits to being a little intimidated when she first joined Rotary but soon felt right at home.  “I have worked hard to earn the respect of our members and I feel that I am not looked at as a woman but rather simply a Rotarian,” she says.

Deborah Nolan was never a Rotary Ann but she has many years of experience as the spouse of a Rotarian. Her husband, Bayne Mann, has been a member of the Strathcona Sunrise Club for 24 years.  In 2006, when the Cumberland Centennial Club was being formed, Nolan’s husband encouraged her to step forward as a charter member.

Nolan is excited about the opportunity to serve as club president in the coming year and is grateful that she has a tight-knit and enthusiastic group of fellow members to back her up.  “I enjoy being a Rotarian because I feel like I am making a difference,” says Nolan. “Whether it is a small local initiative or a huge international project, Rotary makes it possible for one person’s dream or ambition to become reality.”

Holly Grant also has years of familiarity as a Rotary spouse.  She, along with her husband Tom and their three children, moved to the Comox Valley from Ontario 1992.  Tom was soon invited to join the Comox Club.  In 2006, Holly was also invited to join.

“The timing was finally right for me to get involved,” explains Grant.  “Our children were old enough to be on their own on Thursday nights and, considering that I had attended so many Comox Rotary Club events over the years with Tom, I knew this was the right group for me.

“Being a Rotarian brings me great personal fulfillment,” adds Grant. “It is wonderful to be able to do something solely for the pleasure of providing service to others.  Having fun and building friendships is also a big part of it.  It is my privilege to serve the as president of the Comox Rotary Club and I consider it the highest compliment that they have put their trust in me.”

Recent research conducted by Rotary International showed that, despite 25 years of women actively participating in the organization, the stereotype still exists that Rotary is an older gentlemen’s club.

These four Comox Valley women want you to know that Rotary does have a softer side.  The membership roster for any club truly represents a cross section of business people; all cultural, race, religious, age, and gender barriers have been removed.  Rotary is not about men—or women—it is simply about people giving back to the community.

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Something to Sing About!

Helen Austin is a singer/songwriter from the UK now living in the Comox Valley. She was recently asked to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of women in Rotary by writing a song about it. You can listen to the lyrics and watch the story unfold in photographs on YouTube. Type ‘Women in Rotary’ in the search engine and sing along!  For more information on this talented award-winning artist, visit www.helenaustin.com.