District 7040 clubs brought their communities together to support a world without polio.
Pints, purple pinkies, community walks and crocus bulbs: District 7040 found plenty of ways to put End Polio Now into action. At Wickedly Westboro, West Ottawa, Ottawa Metro, Nepean-Kanata and D7040 Passport joined Rotaract and Interact volunteers for Halloween fun and conversations with local families. Kanata brought supporters together for Pints for Polio, Ottawa-Stittsville hosted a polio information evening, and Napanee sold purple crocus bulbs to raise awareness and funds. In New York, the North Central New York Rotary Clubs, including Potsdam and Massena, stepped out with community supporters for a walk dedicated to polio eradication.
Wickedly Westboro
Many Clubs, Hundreds of Kids, and a Whole Lot of Purple!
What happened when nine Rotary, Rotaract and Interact clubs brought together a whole lot of Halloween candy and a shared enthusiasm for ending polio? A fantastic afternoon of fun, fellowship and community connections!
On October 24, World Polio Day, Rotary clubs across Ottawa joined Wickedly Westboro thanks to an invitation from Judy Lincoln, Executive Director of the Westboro Village BIA and a former Rotary Youth Exchange student.
And what a team effort it was!
Using designs developed by Kingston Rotarian Pete Burrell, Hadi Mortada of West Ottawa built the Corn Holio for Polio board, and the kids did come! Chris Wanna of West Ottawa worked his print-shop magic, while Delta Jones of Ottawa Metro and Pardeep Ahluwalia of West Ottawa picked up hundreds of treats. Rochelle Fleming and Ally Buck, also from West Ottawa, transformed the photo booth into a purple-for-polio extravaganza, complete with fantastic props. Rotaractor Elsie Merhi even made a run for last-minute candy supplies.
Karen Baker of Belleville, soon to join West Ottawa, generously donated brand-new Halloween costumes. Many were given out to trick-or-treaters, while others found a wonderful home thanks to Phil Powell Smith of West Ottawa, who delivered them to a local family shelter just in time for Halloween.
The volunteers were especially delighted to welcome District Governor Barbara Fisk, who travelled with her sister-in-law Brenda to join the festivities. Barbara even provided the first $20 in seed money to get the party started!
Fresh from his CTV News interview about Rotary and polio, Peter Chabursky of West Ottawa brought his enthusiasm to the Corn Holio for Polio game alongside Ann Cole.
Watch the interview on YouTube →
Meanwhile, Interactors from West Ottawa, Lisgar Collegiate and Merivale High School kept the candy flowing and helped capture terrific interviews and social media content.
Rotarians from Nepean-Kanata and the D7040 Passport Club, including West Ottawa Area Governor Mel Dean, chatted with families about polio eradication, while Bushra Alaje, a past RYLA participant, painted pinkies purple. Bushra even left the event with plans to start a new Interact club!
A huge thank-you goes to all the Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors, friends and family members who volunteered, donated, organised and showed up to make the afternoon such a success. There were so many contributors that it would be impossible to list them all. Each volunteer helped build the community’s awareness of polio and Rotary.
The best part? New friendships, connections across clubs, young people discovering Rotary and a reminder of just how much fun we can have when we work together.
Many clubs, one Rotary family, and a whole lot of purple. Thank you, District 7040!
Rotary Club of Kanata
Pints for Polio: $900 Towards a World Without Polio
A little seed money, a lively game of bingo and a room full of generous people helped the Rotary Club of Kanata raise $900 for End Polio Now at its Pints for Polio evening on October 22.
Held at Ridge Rock Brewing Company in Carp, the event brought together familiar faces and new friends for an evening of fellowship, local history and fundraising. The club welcomed Rotarians from other clubs, friends and families of members, and around half of the ROK crew, all coming together to support a cause that connects Rotary clubs around the world.
District Governor Barbara Fisk’s $20 in seed money helped Kanata purchase a bingo game for the club, which quickly became a highlight of the evening and generated a substantial share of the funds raised.
Bingo brought friendly competition, with proceeds split 50/50: half supported End Polio Now, while the other half became the cash grand prize. The second prize was an End Polio themed gift basket filled with Ridge Rock ale and red themed treats and snacks. One lucky participant won both prizes!
Ridge Rock’s master brewer also gave guests a look behind the scenes at the brewery’s distinctive brewing process, alongside stories about its historic home in Carp. The building’s colourful past, including a famed bank robbery, provided plenty to talk about during the tour.
Read Kanata’s full Pints for Polio story and see the photographs →
Stepping Out for Polio in New York
In New York, the North Central New York Rotary Clubs, including Potsdam and Massena, stepped out alongside community supporters for polio eradication.
The October 24 Polio Walk at Garner Park in Potsdam invited teams to collect pledges and raise awareness for Rotary’s PolioPlus programme. An easy, flat route of less than a mile offered a welcoming way to participate.
Sharing Knowledge and Planting Purple
The Rotary Club of Ottawa-Stittsville marked the occasion with a polio information evening, providing an opportunity to learn more about the disease and Rotary’s commitment to its eradication.
The Rotary Club of Napanee brought a growing symbol of support to the community through its purple crocus bulb sales. Supporters contributed to End Polio Now while planting a colourful reminder of the cause in their gardens.
Different Events. One Shared Goal.
Across the district, these activities brought people into conversation about polio, welcomed new supporters and raised funds for the work ahead. Thank you to everyone who organised, volunteered, donated and took part.
Have You Registered Your Club’s World Polio Day Event?
If your club held an event but hasn’t registered it yet, please take a moment to do so. Let’s make sure District 7040’s efforts are represented.
Thanks to Erin Ueffing for the Wickedly Westboro report!