On July 18, Rotarians from Districts 7080 and 7090 once again teamed up for Rotary Roar – an evening of PolioPlus fellowship at Hamilton Stadium.After days of smoke warnings and an afternoon tornado warning, the evening weather was surprisingly good. And the Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the Toronto Argonauts 24–23, hanging on to their one-point lead in the final seconds of the game. Oskee-wee-wee!
Once again this year, the event was a sellout. Our 80 guests arrived with enthusiasm for both the evening and the game, many sporting End Polio attire. There were also several District 7090 cycling T-shirts, including one worn by George Eastwood of the Rotary Club of Dundas. George wore his cycling helmet throughout the evening to promote a new District 7090 cycling partnership involving the Dr. Ron Mergl Memorial (Participate for Polio) Ride, Bike the Benchlands, and Tour de Dundas, and the causes supported by each ride.
In the Club Level Lounge, our District 7080 and District 7090 guests enjoyed plenty of food and fellowship. In fact, there was no shortage of delicious tailgate food! The game could be viewed from both indoors and out, and our 75 outdoor balcony seats were in constant use.
The evening was co-hosted by Elaine Richard, along with Past District Governor Frank Adamson, End Polio Co-Chairs for District 7090, and Badar Shamim, Polio Chair for District 7080. The pre-game and halftime programs were packed with great speakers and PolioPlus content.
As District 7090 PolioPlus Society Coordinator, Elaine celebrated the success of our new PolioPlus Society, which welcomed 108 members in its first year. She also expressed her appreciation to the Rotary Club of St. Catharines for making Rotary Roar a special club event and bringing a group of 15.
Once again, we were honoured to welcome special guest Valarie Wafer, Past Vice President of Rotary International and Co-Chair of the International PolioPlus Committee. Valarie provided an update on the work being carried out by Rotarians and our partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) and delivered a powerful message: we are closer than ever to eradicating polio worldwide, but the final push requires all of us to remain committed.A highlight of the evening was the Regional Award for a Polio Free World presented by Valarie to Badar for his outstanding dedication to the cause.
Another keynote speaker joining us again this year was Thie Convery, Arch Klumph Society member, founding Chair of the STamp Out Polio (STOP) satellite Rotary club, and the inaugural member of District 7090’s PolioPlus Society. Thie reminded us that we made a promise to the children of the world to eradicate polio from the face of the earth:
“Although we are 99.9% of the way there, we stop when – and only when – we get to the end (whenever that might be)!”
In addition, there were greetings and insights from District 7090 Governor Elect Paul Gibel, District 7080 Governor Uche Okugo, and Zahid Mirza, member of the Pakistan PolioPlus Committee.
The evening also featured presentations highlighting District 7090's cycling and fundraising events: Bike the Benchlands, by Chair Dale Hatch of the Rotary Club of Lincoln; Tour de Dundas, by Chair George Eastwood; Participate for Polio, by Organizer Frank Adamson; and Paddle for Polio, by Organizer PDG Scott Marcin.
It was fitting to begin the second year of our District’s PolioPlus Society with the recognition of a new member, DGE Paul Gibel, presented by Elaine with the assistance of Valarie.
The evening concluded with an announcement of the winners of a silent auction featuring a Hamilton Tiger-Cats jersey and a pair of tickets to the October 24 (World Polio Day) Tiger-Cats game. (Stay tuned for details!) As was done last year, all proceeds from the auction will be donated to Rotary International’s PolioPlus Fund.
We would like to thank the Hamilton Stadium staff for their support of our event.
A very special thank you goes to our returning Event Sponsor, Anderson's Electronics Inc., and our new sponsor, Joe Apps Technology Support.
And, of course, much appreciation goes to our organizers: District Governor Joanne Serkeyn, AG Hamilton Cluster Cathi MacDonnell, PDG and End Polio Now Coordinator Zone 28 Region 35 Lisa Bishop, PDG Frank Adamson, Badar Shamim, and Elaine Richard.
Some final notes from social media captured the spirit of the evening perfectly.
From Kitchener Rotary:
“What a Game, What a Night! The ‘Rotary Roar’ was loud and clear at the big game between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Toronto Argonauts! It was an incredible evening of PolioPlus fellowship as members from Rotary District 7080 and Rotary District 7090 – Southern Ontario & Western New York teamed up for a fantastic cause.”
And from District Governor Uche Okugo:
“It was a privilege to enjoy the game from the VIP box while supporting a cause that has transformed millions of lives around the world. Rotary's fight against polio is one of the greatest humanitarian efforts of our time, and I am proud to be part of an organization that continues to lead this global mission.
Thank you to everyone who helped make the event such a success. Together, through partnership, generosity, and community spirit, we can continue creating lasting impact—both here at home and around the world.”
PHOTOS:1) Rotary Roar: George, Elaine, Graham, Frank & Dale
2) Rotary Roar: Badar, Frank, Valarie, Mark & Cathi
3) Rotary Roar: Valarie Wafer & Thie Convery
4) Rotary Roar Thie & Lisa