Donald Blackwood
A Biography of Donnie Blackwood
By Karen Blackwood
My father, Donnie Blackwood grew up and resides in New Waterford, Nova Scotia. Donnie remains active within his community, as he has been since his early years. Along with our mother, Muriel, he raised three daughters.
Donnie has dedicated much of his life to advancing the infrastructure, culture, and heritage of New Waterford through his optimism and his resolve. Serving others as a volunteer, community, and business leader, Donnie has an admirable reputation as an intelligent, committed, kind, personable, and true gentleman. Donnie’s fine attributes and relentless community service, are known and appreciated in New Waterford, throughout many Nova Scotia communities, and within the public and private sectors.
Since an early age, Donnie shone as an outstanding New Waterford athlete. He led his hometown baseball teams to many local, and provincial championship titles. Through his athleticism, and sportsmanship, Donnie was a role model to many New Waterford athletes, some of whom turned professional. Later on, Donnie played a vital role organizing local, provincial, and national sporting events within New Waterford, and throughout Nova Scotia.
Donnie also excelled, in the performing arts from childhood into adulthood. His performances in local operettas, musicals, chorales, and choirs are remembered fondly by senior members of his community. They had developed an appreciation for the performing arts, culture, and heritage through him; and they never forgot.
When he was 17, Donnie joined F.W. Woolworth Company as Management Trainee; and eventually advanced to In-Store Management. He managed several stores throughout Atlantic Canada, including New Waterford.
Donnie was Executive Director of the former Cape Breton Tourist Association for 20 years. He was a founding board member of the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia (T.I.A.N.S.), Chairman of several Nova Scotia Tourism Industry conferences, and a member of the Nova Scotia Government’s Voluntary Planning Board for the tourism sector.
Along with Justice Thomas Coffin, and Dr. Margaret Fulton, Donnie served on the Nova Scotia Commission of Inquiry on Rents.
Amid his professional career, Donnie’s committment to community service didn’t falter. He never ceased to positively influence, and support his community to grow in infrastructure, culture, heritage, and business. Donnie served as Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Director of several charitable organizations, committees, advisory boards, festivals, community celebrations, as well as local, provincial, and national conventions.
When he retired, Donnie established his own tour business; “Blackwood Tours.” He enjoys taking visitors the world over, around Cape Breton. Many of whom sail into Sydney Harbour on cruise ships. He also organizes motor coach tours; and being a motor coach tour guide himself. Taking passengers to such places as New York City, and Nashville has been a thrill for Donnie over the years.
Throughout more than 50 years of service with the New Waterford Knights of Columbus, and more than 40 years with the New Waterford Rotary Club, Donnie continues to assist the impoverished within his community and abroad.
He served as President, and later elected District Governor for Rotary International District 7820. In 1994, Donnie received a Paul Harris Fellowship.
In 2014, Donnie was made an Honourary Member of the Rotary Club of New Waterford
Since his formative years, and to this day, Donnie serves others before himself. Donnie will forever be a colossal fan of New Waterford, its past, and present, all the while looking to the town’s future with his perpetual optimism, and his relentless devotion to community service.