Lee Fisher and his wife attend Peace Park Assembly
Registration was Friday September 7 followed by a business meeting of the Assembly board. Friday evening there was a BBQ at the Town Community Center. The weather was not ideal for outside activities so the get together was moved indoors. The district Governors of Alberta and Montana, David Taylor and Bill Campbell respectively, were introduced each giving a short speech. For entertainment we listened to a lively local fiddle group and the Pincher Creek Club presented a re-enactment of the historical establishment of Canada/USA International Peace Park and Rotary's beginning involvement in the annual celebration which has taken place for 75 years.
Saturday was a free day for hiking, a boat ride on the Lake or in my case discovering I had not brought a tie for the dinner that evening which had been noted as a "dressy' affair. Waterton, a very small town, was in the process of closing down for the winter season so my wife and I took a drive into Pincher Creek and to our surprise there was a Wal-Mart.!! The trip was well worth it for the scenery alone.
Saturday evening the dinner ceremony was held at the Prince of Wales Hotel. Preceding the Buffet all Rotarians and guests sang the Canadian and American Anthem. The Pincher Creek Club worked hard to ensure a smooth and successful meeting even to the printing of both anthems on the back of our name tags. Speeches were made by the district Governors and the Waterton/Glacier Park Superintendents.
On Sunday a non-denominational service was held in the hotel facing the floor to ceiling windows giving us a heavenly view of the Waterton Lake which is surrounded by majestic mountains. It was the perfect venue for the Service.
Several buses were secured to take us all to the Border over the Chief Mtn. Highway. We gathered in "no man's land" for the ceremony where a Memorial Cairn had been built in honor of the friendship between the two countries. Brief speeches by assembled dignitaries were made then the Rotarians lined up on their respective sides of a rope, representing the border, and while holding hands the Peace Park Pledge was recited with prayers for continuing peace.
.It was all quite moving, especially knowing that something which was started by Rotarians 75 years ago was impressive enough to still be celebrated today.
The Prince of Wales Hotel, built in a chalet style, is another one of those older hotels that make you wonder how it came to be built in that particular area, but of course like many historic places it was influenced by the Railroad companies.
My wife and I did not stay there but traveled in an RV. There is a excellent campground within walking distance of the town and it was there we again met Canadian Rotarians who had been at the Salt Lake Conference in June.
One of the things I enjoy most about being able to travel to other Rotary Clubs is the long time friendships that are developed. Learning by discussing various problems and maybe utilizing their solutions can certainly be a benefit in the advancement of our Clubs' Projects.
I have to give the Pincher Creek Rotarians accolades. They are a small club and it must have seemed to be an insurmountable project but they all did their part and the three days of meetings, dinners and ceremonies went well.
Mark Frisby was the other representative from Bozeman who attended the celebration and I'm sure he would agree the Canadian side of the Park is a beautiful area and we as Rotarians and Montanans should take pride in the Rotarians who had the forethought to create this Park and annual ceremony honoring the lasting peace between U.S.A. and Canada. Next year the Peace Park Assembly will be hosted by the Billings Rotary clubs and the venue will be in the Manny Glacier section of the Park. The tentative date is Sept. 20 2008.
I would strongly urge planning to attend, especially for the "Hands across the Border "ceremony reaffirming the peace that has existed between our countries.
Lee Fisher