| 1939 25 Jun |
What has been termed the "first international Bahá'í picnic embracing Canada and the United States" was held at Queenstown Heights at the invitation of the Toronto Assembly. It was the brainchild of Howard Ives who was living in Toronto at the time. He and Mabel had "grand-children" on both sides of the border.
Willard McKay chaired the event with talks provided by Doris McKay, John Stearns, Mrs. Pettibone, Elizabeth Brooks, Mrs, Marguerite Firoozi. Lulu Barr, Mrs. Enos Barton, Mr, and Mrs. John Robarts and, of course, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Ives.
It was attended by 74 persons, 4 of which applied for enrollment in the Faith that day. It was an occasion for Bahá'í youth on both sides of the border to meet each other.
Plans were made to widen the New York-Pennsylvania Bahá'í speaker circuit to include Canada and the first youth conference was planned for Jamestown, NY.
[FMH277; BN No 128 August 1939 p7; OBCC179]
Bahá'ís will note the significant fact that a decisive battle was fought on this site during the Revolutionary War. General Isaac Brock was killed but thanks to a regiment of "coloured" soldiers and Native allies, the Canadian forces were able to dispel the invading forces and take almost 1,000 prisoners.
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International Bahá'í Picnic; Howard Ives; Mabel Rice-Wray Ives; Doris McKay; Willard McKay; John Stearns; Mrs Pettibone; Elizabeth Brooks; Mrs Marguerite Firoozi; Lulu Barr; Mrs Enos Barton; John Robarts; Audrey Robarts; Lloyd Gardner; Queenston Heights, ON; Toronto, ON; Jamestown, NY |
first international Bahá'í Picnic |
Canada