Easter Seals

The Rotary Club of Charlottetown agreed by “unanimous vote” on February 13, 1956, to adopt Easter Seals as the program through which to continue its support of children with disabilities. The Club members of the time recognized the quality of the Easter Seals program and knew it was fully compatible with the Clubs objectives of community service.
 
Although the Club did not sign an official franchise agreement until 1960, it apparently participated in the program under a verbal agreement beginning in 1956 when $2,100 were raised. The agreement has been renewed periodically until recently. The current holder of the franchise, the Abilities Foundation of Canada, has decided that it is no longer necessary to renew the franchise periodically but that it will remain valid until such time as the Club decides to relinquish it and thereby discontinue Easter Seals activity.
 
Under an agreement ratified by the Rotary Clubs of Charlottetown, Summerside and Montague in early 1988 and revised in 1992, the three Clubs participate directly in the annual Easter Seals Campaign through a provincial committee, officially known as the Easter Seals Society of Prince Edward Island. The Committee consists of members of the Rotary Club of Charlottetown and one member from each of the Summerside and Montague Clubs. Monies raised from the annual campaign are divided as follows: 50% to the Provincial Committee with the remainder divided among the three Clubs according to the proportion of the monies raised in each of the three counties in which each club is located. In recent years, the breakdown of “the remainder” has been 50%/30%/20% for Charlottetown/Summerside/Montague respectively.