This Rotor can also be found on the FRONT PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE,
on the right side (where it used to be).
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
February 23rd was Rotary's 116th Birthday;
Peter Neufeldt advised that making donations to TRF's Annual Programs Fund or PolioPlus is as simple as arranging for withdrawals to come out of your account on a consistent monthly or quarterly basis - talk to Peter N. for details;
Having been absent for the past 3 weeks, President Jean-Marc thanked the Valentine GALA organizers, Peter Neufeldt and Doreen Pankewich, and their team for an outstanding job - a special "tip of the hat" to Mitch Zaba, and the supportive work of the All-Clubs PR Committee;
Be ready for an opportunity to volunteer on a Vegetable Sale initiative in cooperation with the Sherwood Co-op this fall - kick start work will be later this spring - me thinks Charles Sadzamare will certainly be reminding us in the weeks to come.
President Jean-Marc called on Gail Bradley to introduce our Guest Speaker Ramesh Ferris. In her comments Gail noted that Ramesh and his wife Dagmar live in Whitehorse, Yukon. They are members of the RC of Whitehorse Rendezvous, where he is the President Elect. Ramesh is a polio survivor and eradicating polio from the world is our guest's personal passion.
Ramesh has a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Regina. and has been inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame; is the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award; the Yukon Commissioner’s Award for Volunteer Public Service; and, the 2013 Ontario Colleges Premier’s Award Winner for Community Service.
In 2008 Ramesh hand-cycled 7140 km across Canada from Victoria, BC to Cape Spear, Newfoundland & Labrador in a polio campaign he called Cycle to Walk. Through this campaign, Ramesh raised thousands of dollars for Polio Eradication, Education, and Rehabilitation. Since his Cycle to Walk, Ramesh has become a global health advocate in the fight against polio. He has travelled to Afghanistan, Pakistan, South Africa, and other places throughout the world to help administer the polio vaccine.
He has partnered with Rotary International, World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and has met with countless global leaders including Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Bill and Melinda Gates, all to gain continued support in our efforts to end polio.
Ramesh started his power point slide supported presentation, by reminding us of the impact of polio in the 1950's and the fear this created in the lives of citizens around the world. Hospitals were full of "iron lungs" which helped patients to breath. Then on April 12, 1955 a vaccine developed by Dr. Jonas Salk, set the stage for altering the course of this debilitating and killing disease.
Ramesh Ferris was born in India, contracted polio and at the age of 6 months his Mother courageously took her son to an Orphanage, Children for Families, as she recognized her inability to provide him with the kind of care he would require. He was the first International Adoption into Canada, adopted by a family in Whitehorse. He was fortunate to receive the best of care and treatment in Vancouver, and at the age of 3 1/2 he was able to walk with crutches. In 2002 he returned to India, where he met his birth mother and was able to witness the type of life he would have experienced had it not been for his mother's courage.
He returned and shared his dream to hand cycle across Canada to raise money and awareness about the importance of the PolioPlus program. He commended Rotarians in our Club and across District 5550 for the effort and money they have contributed to keep polio eradication in the minds of our citizens and governments. Global polio statistics indicate a reduction from 350,000 wild polio cases diagnosed in 1988 to 140 cases in all of 2020, which in and of itself is phenomenal. However, as with today's COVID 19, polio knows no boundary - eradication is the goal, let us not settle for less.
Our guest's power outage, separated us and we were certainly saddened, but we look forward to Ramesh's return so we get, "the rest of the story".
Ramesh Ferris, thank you for taking us on this journey, you are a polio eradication hero and appropriately reflect the observation of your own hero, Mahatma Gandhi,
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
Ramesh Ferris in the Company of Rotary Dignataries
How Africa achieved wild polio-free certification
In August 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) certified the African region free of wild poliovirus. It was the culmination of a decades-long effort involving millions of Rotary members, health workers, government officials, traditional and religious leaders, and parents. Since 1996, a year when wild polio paralyzed an estimated 75,000 children across Africa, health workers have given more than 9 billion doses of the polio vaccine, preventing 1.8 million wild polio cases. Read more of this monumental effort in The Rotary magazine
(February Issue)
The Family of Rotary
Peter Peters was the recipient of the members Happy Birthday serenade (March 1) - Peter appreciated the songsters collective effort;
At the President's invitation, Vic Wiebe took a few minutes to introduced himself and his wife Dana to us, which reminds us of the importance of sharing a glimpse of our personal journeys within the Family of Rotary;
Sherry McKinnon, who graduated from an American School, just learned a second member of her Graduating Class was a victim of the coronavirus - she reminded us to be safe. Our condolences, Sherry.
"Happy Birthday Rotary"
FELLOWSHIP HIGHLIGHTS
Guest Sergeant-At-Arms, Peter Neufeldt acknowledged President J-M return after a 3-week absence and invited an over-view for this hiatus;
After receiving a detailed recap, Acting Sergeant Peter asked what this was worth, and the President offered up $20.00;
Peter Peters matched the President's donation and complemented members for responding to last week's appeal for donations to the Annual Program's Fund of TRF;
The action of 6 members cemented our Club's eligibility to access funds for District and Global Grants, however additional donations will be helpful in order to match last year’s $126.00 per capita;
Gail Bradley was delighted that Ramesh Ferris is able to join us to share his polio journey and the impact he has had and is having in the effort to eradicate polio from the world:
Have a great, safe week.
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“You only have control over 3 things in your life. The thoughts you think, the images you visualize, and the actions you take.”Jack Canfield.
Today's guests
Jessie Carlson was with us today, a guest of husband Gary. We also welcomed Rotarians Ramesh Ferris, RC of Whitehorse Rendezvous (D 5370); and Doug Keam, RC of Regina.
