PROBUS Club celebrates 20 years of education, service

The PROBUS Club of Central Aroostook met Aug. 21 at Northern Maine Community College in Reed Commons with 38 in attendance including past, current, special guests and prospective members.
Dana Crory, president, welcomed all attending and made note of the charter members, Ed Hews, Burns Weeks and Barbara Hughes. Charter members Dorothy Beaton, James Cyr, Floyd Harding, Mary McBride and John Schmidt were unable to attend. The president also welcomed special guests Steve and Karen Campbell.
The regular business meeting was dispensed until next month. Gail Vreeland sang “O Canada” followed by the National Anthem.
Linda Swett gave the history of the club’s 20 years. In June of 1990, upon the retirement of Dana Swett, Linda’s late husband, from Maine Public Service Company, they decided to start a club for retired people, people who would be involved in the community and know what was going on through speakers and tours. Being district governor of Rotary District 7810, Dana Swett became aware of the PROBUS Club. In 1993, after he completed his Rotary obligations, he obtained sponsorship from the Presque Isle Rotary Club to start PROBUS.
Ginny Joles was a member of that sponsorship committee, and attended the recent special occasion. She was introduced as a longtime MPS employee and retired last year. She is now affiliated with The Aroostook Medical Center and is the lead of philanthropy for the TAMC Foundation. She is also a longtime Rotarian. She worked with Dana Swett on PROBUS Club establishment 20 years ago.
A letter from the PIRC congratulating PROBUS on the 20th anniversary was read. On June 8, 1994, the first organizational meeting was held at MPS with Duncan Beaton, Bill Flora, Nate Grass, Dana Swett, Alta Weeks and Burns Weeks, with Swett as the chair. The name PROBUS Club of Central Aroostook was selected. This included Presque Isle and surrounding towns.
The fledgling club was welcomed at Northern Maine Technical College, now NMCC. The second meeting with 13 prospective members present was held on July 21, 1994. Dana Swett and Ed Hews worked together for new members. Hews became the first president. The official name became PROBUS Club No. 39 of PROBUS Centre-Canada, first club of an international district in North America. On Aug. 18, 1994, officers were: Hews, president; Weeks, vice president; Dot Beaton, secretary; and Neil Michaud, treasurer.
PROBUS Club celebrated its 10th anniversary at Governor’s with 29 members present. Today the club is still 29 members.
On Aug. 21, Carolyn Watson, program chairperson introduced special guests, the Campbells from Moncton, N.B., to be with the club for the 20th anniversary celebration. Mr. Campbell has been involved with PROBUS for many years, and is a former president of PROBUS Moncton and has held various other offices in his club. He is immediate past president of PROBUS Canada and currently the Atlantic Director since 2010.
Campbell’s employment began in 1961 at the University St. Joseph as professor of history and English. From 1963-96, he spent 33 years as professor of English and chairman of the English Department at the University in Moncton. He has been involved with several affiliations, which include being a city councilor, member of the Greater Moncton Planning Commission, member and secretary of the Greater Moncton Sewerage Commission and Interim Police Authority, member of the Physicians Resource Advisory Committee for the province of New Brunswick and chairman of the medical education subcommittee.
In the local community, he has been president of Humphrey Homeowners Association for the province, chairman of the Humphrey Winter Carnival, honorary president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters campaign, committee member of the Boy Scouts of Canada, president of Greater Moncton Air Shows, president of the advisory committee of the Moncton Voluntary Center and member of the Capitol Theatre Foundation. Now retired, he enjoys theatre, astronomy, golf, woodworking, art and genealogy.
Campbell gave a brief history of the PROBUS Club, 12 districts, from the 1960s in England, New Zealand and Australia, and it spread in 1987 to include the first PROBUS Club in Canada.
According to Campbell, it is time for members of PROBUS to be connected with friends and the world. He presented a certificate of congratulations to  President Crory in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the presentation of charter no. 39, issued on Sept. 15, 1994, and also stated appreciation for service to a very important segment of the people of the Aroostook area. He wished them continued success in the provision of the opportunity for fellowship and learning for the members of the club.
Following business, a luncheon was provided by NMCC, including a special 20th anniversary cake.
The next meeting will be Thursday, Sept. 18, at 10 a.m. at NMCC’s Reed Commons.