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Editor's Notes

• #2: June 10 ¨C 14 100th anniversary of the Rotary Foundation At the outset, This is our first Convention. Our third try to be at one. For reason we won¡¯t go into .. So we don¡¯t have anything to compare it to. It was an experience!
• #3: The connections to Atlanta are good. A quick hope to Boston, short wait and you¡¯re off to Atlanta. Pretty simple. The fights left at a reasonable hour of the day and we were in Atlanta at supper time.. Coming home was just the reverse. We met Joe and Susan Euffing from Kentville in Boston on the way down and came back with Kerry Munroe Musie and her husband Daniel from Yarmouth on the way home.
• #4: We arrived on Friday for 9th (a day early) and came back on the Thursday the 15th and spent our time on the Courtyard Marriotte Downtown for the stay. It was one the Convention hotels and while not the most luxurious it was reasonably priced, comfortable, with helpful staff. There was a caf¨¦ in the lobby were we picked up breakfast and had drinks. It was full of Rotarians.
• #5: One of the primary features though was the location in downtown Atlantia. Although there as a scheduled shuttle.. We didn¡¯t use it as it was about a 15 walk to the convention center and a close to restaurants were we met up with others or to the entertainment events in the park and elsewhere. We really didn¡¯t need transportation for what we did even though we were given a pass on the System to use.
• #6: Just another view of part of the downtown and what we walked through to get back and forth. It was hot and humid most of the time with only one rain storm and hit just after we got back to the hotel.
• #8: Atlanta is a city of 6 million people. Heavily treed with lots of public space it felt pretty comfortable going out for a walk (most) nights. There are lots of restaurants and bars but not a lot of ¡°shopping¡± downtown. Although the city is fairly famous for it¡¯s traffic.. The downtown at least did not feel overwhelmingly busy to say Toronto or Montreal. It gives you the impression of a place were things are happening. It has had an economic and cultural boom since the 1996 Olympics and with money spent on infrastructure, a lot of investment has been made it Atlanta. People seem positive about the city and it is obviously a hub for the south. There is lot more ethnic diversity now than in the past and you get the feeling of a renewal spirit.
• #9: The conference itself was marked by crowds of people. There were some 33K people finally registered from 174 countries. Although we heard stories about much bigger numbers. But it¡¯s a unique experience to be in a place with this many Rotarians¡­ and from all over the world. Every language, culture and dress from very casual to shirt and tie. There were plenty of our Rotary jerseys there with lots of ¡°team¡± looks to groups of people. With this many people.. You¡¯d think it would be impossible to find anyone you know. Wrong. There were about 30 from our District.. I think I ran into them all. And with people we had met during our DG training.. Lots of friends old and new. It was crowded however.. You had to plan you trips to get up and down escalators and find places to eat.. Or you¡¯d run out of time.
• #10: This was the main plenary session hall. It would seat about 20 thousand and the opening plenary was repeated so everyone could get in. You had to be early to get a seat toward the front.. But there were huge screens everywhere.
• #11: House of Friendship ¨C about the size of Truro Mall . There was a wide mix from booth from commercial like Russel Hampton to every Fellowship you can imagine. This one was the Whisky drinking fellowship. There was one from Motorcycles RV¡¯s, skiing.. One was magicians who like wine. I met with the folks at Clubrunner for example and got to seem some of their new features. Then there was causes and projects. PDG Stella was at the End polio booth¡­ but you can check out projects from all over the world.
• #12: Just a word on entertainment. We went to the hosted Bluegrass night on Saturday at the Olympic Park. Ricky Skaggs band. Great performance in the park. We sat with friends from New Jersey and enjoyed the evening air. Even the wheel was decked out with the Rotary wheel. A great view of the city.
• #13: Reconnecting, birthday party, Beyond Borders dinner at Aquarium, fellow DG¡¯s & partners
• #14: Amazing Centre. Thought provoking, disturbing. Civil rights movement from MLK to today.
• #15: Opening ceremonies. Presentation of Centennial bell. Forged in a 1,000 year old foundry in Agnone, Italy.
• #16: Now past president John Germ presented a crystal bowl to Indian philanthropist Rajashree Birla for her family¡¯s partnership with RI. He noted that to date, Birla has donated over $10 million to the polio eradication effort. In response (and apparently not planned), Birla presented John Germ with a cheque for an additional $1 million. It pays to acknowledge others!!
• #17: Bill Gates was on hand to talk about the largest global health initiative ever ¨C the fight to eradicate polio. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are the biggest contributors to the cause. It will take $1.5 billion to finish this project by 2020. Mr. Gates announced the extension of the Foundations 2 : 1 match for a further 3 years or $450 million. Canadians were proud to find the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development to take the stage and pledge an additional $75 million USD to the cause ¨C the only other donor to be given a speaking opportunity. 1.2 billion was pledged that day and the total now stands at $1.3 billion.
• #18: Crowds on hand to hear Ashton Kutcher and Minda Dentler. Ashton ¨C an actor, producer, philanthropist, tech inventor, and entrepreneur. He is also co-founder of Thorn ¨C digital defenders of children. He was part of a panel discussion on human trafficking and the need to end modern slavery and human sex trafficking. Minda Dentler was born in India and it was there she contracted polio. Her legs are paralyzed as a result. She was adopted by an American family. An amazingly strong individual and triathlete, she became the first female wheelchair athlete to complete the Ironman World Championship in Kona, HI in 2013. She lives in NYC with her husband and daughter.
• #19: Andrew Young ¨C former US Ambassador to the UN and Chair of the Andrew J Young Foundation ¨C a non-profit established to promote more just and prosperous communities by developing and supporting new generations of multiracial leadership. Compatriot of MLK Other speakers included WWE Superstar, actor and Rotary polio ambassador John Cena and golf icon Jack Nicklaus.
• #20: Breakout sessions 98 sessions over 2.5 days plus 33,000 participants = line-ups and not enough seating Topics varied from Club leadership to club foot initiatives to tai chi!
• #21: End Polio Now ¨C lit ¡°watches¡± worn by delegates illustrated the level of the world¡¯s population affected by polio when we started in 1985 and changed as time and accomplishments were highlighted.
• #22: The future of Rotary. This is Brittany Arthur, President of the Rotaract club of Berlin. Brittany has graduated from universities in Australia, Germany and Japan. Her enthusiasm for Rotary is boundless.
• #23: Incoming President Ian Risley spoke ¨C barely ¨C about his hopes and dreams for the coming year. Sam Owari, president nominee for 2018-19, also spoke to rousing support from all but especially the African countries. Sadly, Mr. Owari died last month. Barry Rassin of the Bahamas has now been elected president nominee.
• #24: Michael Cooksey, co-chair of the 2018, wore his Don Cherry jacket to introduce the 2018 conference in Toronto. His Co-Chair is Michele Guy.
• #25: Theme: ¡°Inspiration Around Every Corner¡± PDG Duncan Conrad of Charlottetown is organizing a bus and accommodations. Details are on the District Website. We have registered? Have you?