50 Years

GUELPH POWER AND SAIL SQUADRON

A UNIT OF CANADIAN POWER AND SAIL SQUADRONS

"Providing Safe Boating Courses in the Guelph Area since 1962"

Celebrating 50 Years

1962 - 2012

The Guelph Power Squadron Warrant was issued on April 17^th, 1962.

The Guelph Squadron is a community organization, made up of volunteers who are dedicated to boating safety through training.

As to the origins of the Squadron, we are striving to assemble as much of our history as we can. In 1987, when the Squadron was preparing for it's 25th Anniversary, enquiries went out to some of our members to resurrect some of our history. The following is one of the responses that was published in the May 1987 issue of the "Blinkin' Buoy".

149 Banyan Dr

RTE. 10 Fort Meyers

Florida 33908

Dear Cliff,

Delighted to get your letter concerning the origin of the Guelph Power Squadron, sorry that I will not be much help to you. Carol and I have been stirring up memories from the mental oblivion that exists of that time.

The list of charter members that I have amended in only one or two places, even with Carol’s help, I can’t recall any more.

Now for the start of Guelph Squadron. Carol and I and Manny Birnbaum had taken Piloting from the Kitchener Power Squadron. We both enjoyed it so much that we joined the Squadron and enrolled for their course in A.P. Here we met Gus Bryant who at that time was a member of the Kitchener Squad, as were Carol and I. Gus gave the course in A. P,. alone and we enjoyed it very much indeed. In fact the following year we renewed our membership and I took engine maintenance while Carol took meteorology. Among the friends we made in the Kitchener Squad was Drew Riddle M.D., J.N., who approached Gus and I about forming a Squadron in Guelph under the sponsorship of the Kitchener Squad. He and John Baetz, another officer of the Kitchener Squad offered their assistance.

I am pretty hazy about events for now but we managed mainly with the help of Manny Birnbaum to get a nucleus of backing for our Piloting Course to be given in Guelph under the auspices of the Kitchener Squadron. I was appointed Training Officer Pro-temp.

Drew Riddle, sometimes accompanied by another officer from the Kitchener Squadron attended all the classes and usually had a few encouraging remarks to add to the class.

Following the outcome of the exam, the successful candidates were convened into a meeting sponsored by the Officers of the Kitchener Squadron in order to select a slate of officers for the Guelph Squadron. At this meeting the Guelph Squadron was born and I had the honor of being appointed the Commander.

As an item of news, at our first meeting of the executive, when we discussed whether we should have a publication and Manny Birnbaum, who was Lt Commander not only volunteering putting out the first issues but also suggested Blinkin’ Buoy as its name.

I hope the information will be helpful. Good luck to you in whatever you are planning in doing to celebrate the 25^th Anniversary.

Sincerely

A. Leggatt

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