Bequia Rotary Club

For many years Bequia had a very active and community-minded Rotary Club.  Until they moved into the old bakery at Lower Bay the men met at the Old Fig Tree, the restaurant located next to the Pizzeria.  This group of men met often, planning events and fund-raisers to raise money for Island projects.  Rotarians from abroad attended these meetings, often presenting a flag from their own clubs. I admired the Rotary Club, the businessmen worked hard, and their results benefited the Island.

Bequia’s first Fisher-mans’ day was organized by the Rotary Club along with Mark Lulley from Lulley’s Tackle.  Held in the off-season, the club organized food and drink booths under the Almond Trees, and as fish was brought ashore it was cooked in a variety of ways.  It was always a wonderful community party, bringing the Island together for a day of good food, fun and laughter. The proceeds were used for Island improvement projects, or to help a family in need of medical assistance, making it a worthwhile event.

The Rotary Club also introduced Carnival to Bequia, until then one had to travel to the mainland for any festivities. Over a period of a few days, a beauty Pageant was held to choose a Carnival Queen, a Kiddie Carnival was organized and a Street March planned.  Once again the Almond Tree, always the hub of Bequia’s community events, buzzed with people having a good time.  The Kiddie Carnival was fun for Vanessa and Rachel, I dressed them in costumes and let them run loose with their friends under the trees.  The Street March was a blast for the Pizzeria Staff; the “Mac’s Pizza” band, wearing costumes they had made themselves, danced behind the truck carrying “New Direction” as it made its way through the Island.  Carnival was held in the off-season, so it was no skin off my nose to close the restaurant for the day and let the staff enjoy themselves, they deserved it after a long, hard season.

One day my Tourist Committee was discussing the garbage situation on Bequia.  The Island had gone from having just a little trash to having a LOT of trash, due primarily to store-bought packaging, and we were pondering the best way to address the littering problem.  We decided it would be a good idea to involve the Rotary Club, and wrote a letter requesting a meeting with them.  I was surprised and quite disappointed to receive an answer informing me that Rotarians did not allow women at their meetings, and that our request for a meeting was therefore denied.  I felt that was a pity, the Rotary Club and the Tourist Committee together might not have moved mountains, but we might have come up with some good ideas for moving litter!

A few year later I was walking through the Old Fig Tree on my way to work.  The Rotarians were having a meeting, and as I passed the cluster of men the President called my name;  “Congratulations Mrs. Simmons!  We have just unanimously agreed to accept you as Rotary’s first female member!”

I was NOT impressed, neither did I feel flattered.  I knew EXACTLY why I was being honoured in such a manner by the Rotarians!  The member who usually organized and cooked all the food for their fund-raising events had resigned, and they needed a replacement to slave over their BBQ. They knew I was capable of cooking food for large crowds, and in their desperation to fill the void left by the departed member they had decided to invite me, a WOMAN, to fill it.

Smiling at the gentlemen sweetly I declined their kind invitation, and told them they would have to look elsewhere for someone to cook all the food for their fund-raisers.  The Rotarians, realizing I had guessed their ulterior motive, had the decency to look embarrassed.