Edition: MMXIII-II  
03/02/2010

In this Issue:

A Rotary Item of Olympic Proportions

Winter Olympics Have Rotary Flavor

 

A Rotary Item of Olympic Proportions

Ernie Peterson combined his passions for volunteering and sports during last month's Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Peterson, a member of the Rotary Club of Deland (Breakfast), Florida, was one of 25,000 volunteers serving at the Vancouver Games. It's his third stint as an Olympics volunteer. He's been hooked on the games since he attended the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, as a spectator with his wife, Jeanne.

"I love meeting the athletes. They are simply incredible," says Peterson. "Most of these athletes have trained their entire life for one minute of skiing, ice skating, or whatever sport they are entered in. To see their happiness is what draws me here." After volunteering at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, and the 2006 Winter Games in Torino, Italy, Peterson wanted to help out in Vancouver, but his plans almost derailed until he found assistance from other Rotarians. Finding lodging in Vancouver was nearly impossible. So last summer, Peterson and his wife flew to Canada and visited the Rotary Club of Whistler, British Columbia, to ask whether someone could take them in. "I asked the club president if I could have a few minutes during a meeting to tell them my story," says Peterson. "Afterward, Doug Mildenberger offered his home to us. If it wasn't for the generosity of Rotarians, I probably couldn't pull this off."

This year, Peterson worked in the media center by day and the medal plaza at night. "While the days were long and hard, I feet so fulfilled and privileged
to be able to witness this all," he says. "I always tell myself after I come home, 'I can't believe I just experienced this.'"

Peterson is looking forward to volunteering at the 2012 Summer Games in London and the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. He has volunteered at several other sporting events, including the 2005 Super Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida, and several NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) men's basketball tournaments. "I love everything about sports, the athletes, fans, and games. It brings people together from all walks of life," says Peterson. "The Olympics and Rotary have a common thread of bringing people from all over the world together. That's why I'm so enthusiastic and proud to be involved in both of them."

 

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Winter Olympics Have Rotary Flavor

A Rotary club chartered during the last Winter Olympics in Canada has teamed up with a charity to make wishes come true for six children with life-threatening illnesses. As the Olympic Games returned to Canada in February, The Rotary Club of Calgary Olympic, Alberta, worked with the Children's Wish Foundation of Canada to provide accommodations for the children, ages 4-14, so they could attend.

"Our club wanted to do something special since the Olympics are back in Canada," says Tamara McCarron, club member and project chair. "We are thrilled to make a difference in these children's lives. It's a dream come true for them and for me." With most of the Vancouver area's hotels booked, McCarron found Home for the Games, a website that matches visitors with Vancouver hosts for short-term homestays. The club spent US$30,000 for lodging for the six families. Home for the Games donated 50 percent of the housing fees to charities that help the homeless in Vancouver.

"I was lucky enough to come across an ad in The Rotarian magazine for Home for the Games. It's a win, win, win for our club, the Children's Wish Foundation, and local charities of Vancouver," says McCarron, who joined the club last year. "It's a huge effort, but having the resources of Rotary made things a lot smoother."

The six families, who live in different parts of Canada, attended several events at the games from including the highly anticipated men's gold medal hockey game. The Children's Wish Foundation worked with Olympic officials to allow one of the girls to pick up gifts thrown into the rink by spectators during a figure skating medal round. "We're creating a legacy for these children and their families," says Tara Johnson, the club's community service chair. "This project is very symbolic of what Rotary does for people who live at a disadvantage."

Look for footage of the children's Olympic experience in a video about the 100-year history of Rotary in Canada, to be shown at the 2010 RI Convention in Montral, Qubec this June.

 

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