"Bradford Rotarian Jim Simone was honored by his club last week when they announced that he had been made a Paul Harris Fellow by donating $1,000 on his behalf to the Rotary International Foundation. Mr. Simone, a past-president of the Bradford Club, was speechless with the announcement. There are only three other Paul Harris Fellows in the Bradford club: Gary Vasey, Frank Maurino and Gord Compton. The club's Rotary Foundation committee chairman Reg Harris told The Witness that a Paul Harris Fellowship is one of the highest honors a club can bestow on a member. He explained that a Rotarian can only become a member of the select group if the club makes a $1,000 donation to the fund in his name. Simone is a charter member of the Bradford Rotary Club and was the club's sixth president, serving in 1957 and '58. He has been a director since his presidency and for the past four years has served as the club's treasurer."
The two-storey, brick house located at 108 Holland St. West was built by John Maurino on what was originally a 100-acre farm owned by John Skinner. Skinner lived on Church St. (at the southeast corner of John Street). There was a creek behind the original barn and a pond used for watering stock, etc. It was also used as a hockey and skating rink in the winter many years ago. The land was eventually sold to John Maurino. He added a two-storey shed and a new barn to the property at the time he built the house that is seen in this photo from 1995. Maurino and his wife (a sister of Cavallo, the local harness and shoemaker) farmed the land with their children Augustus, Aida, Frank, Lena and Laura. (1, 2)
"The Rotary Club of Bradford celebrated its 25th anniversary last week and announced the Rotary project for 1977: a rock garden with fountains at the corner of Barrie and John Streets. Referring to the expense, past president Brad Walker laughed, 'Once that's done we'll have exactly what we started with 25 years ago - nothing.' Mr. Walker is one of the charter members of the club, and he, along with Clare Ritchie, Frank Maurino, George Allan, Jim Everitt, and Jim Simone, were presented with silver plaques for their 25 years of service. Rotary district governor Norm Guild of Brampton was on hand to make the presentation. Lions Club president Bernard Horne called for closer relations between the two clubs and recalled the years of the co-operation on several major projects in Bradford."
"The Bradford Rotary Club elected its new executive last week, naming Bas Visser president. Front, from left;; Jim Simone, treasurer; Frank Maurino, inter-club relations; Reg Harris, Paul Harris Fellowship winner. Rear: Paul Travis, vocational service; Peter Van Scheyndel, secretary; Bas Visser; Don Wood, vice-president; Rick Walker, past president; Sheldon Harries, international service. Absent, Wayne Stinson, club services; Bill Skwarchuk community service."
