Ahmed Tudun-Wada knows what polio takes from a child. He contracted the disease as a young boy in Kano, Nigeria, and was left paralyzed. Decades later, when Nigeria was struggling to eradicate polio, Aminu decided that he would use his experience to help protect other children.
He brought together polio survivors and began going door to door, talking with parents about vaccination. The survivors told their stories. They showed families the effects of polio. And they urged parents to make sure their children never had to go through the same experience……..
By 2021, the Polio Survivors Group that Aminu founded had grown to more than 400 members. Their work helped Nigeria reach a milestone that once seemed impossible: In 2020, the World Health
Organization certified Nigeria, and the entire African region, free of wild poliovirus.
I think about people like Aminu whenever we talk about ending polio. Eradication is about children who will never know what it means to lose the ability to walk. It is about parents who will never have to watch a healthy child become paralyzed by a disease that vaccines can prevent.
And it is about making sure the people who remember polio become the last generation that does. Rotary has been part of this fight for more than four decades. Together with our partners, we have helped vaccinate more than 3 billion children, contributed more than $3 billion to the global effort, and reduced cases of wild poliovirus by 99.9 percent.
But 99.9 percent is not 100 percent.
Wild poliovirus remains endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As long as it circulates anywhere, children everywhere remain at risk. And even after wild poliovirus disappears from a country, we must maintain strong immunization and surveillance systems so the virus cannot find a way back.
Aminu could have looked at his own experience and asked, “Why me?” Instead, he asked a different question: “How can I make sure this does not happen to another child?” That is the spirit we need now.
The final mile of any journey can be the hardest. But we have walked too far, worked too hard, and protected too many children to stop here.
Let us remember why we began. Let us listen to those who have experienced polio. Let us be the generation that creates lasting impact and ensures no one ever experiences polio again.
Yinka
President, Rotary International
October is Rotary International’s Economic & Community Development Month—a time to recognize the important role Rotary plays in helping people and communities build stronger, more sustainable futures.
Rotary Clubs around the world support projects that go beyond immediate charity. The goal is to invest in people, strengthen communities and create opportunities that can have a lasting impact. The Rotary Foundation supports initiatives that build the capacity of entrepreneurs, community leaders and local organizations, create opportunities for productive work, reduce poverty and support education and professional development.
How Edmonton West Makes a Difference
The Rotary Club of Edmonton West contributes to economic and community development both at home and around the world.
Much of our work focuses on creating stronger, healthier and more connected communities through partnerships, hands-on service and support for organizations that are already making a difference.
Locally, our members invest their time, skills and resources in projects that strengthen our community. We volunteer at the Edmonton Food Bank, helping sort donations and prepare food hampers for families and individuals experiencing food insecurity. We support Boyle Street Community Services, which works to empower people and help them move beyond poverty and homelessness. We also support organizations such as Ronald McDonald House, CapitalCare Grandview, the Salvation Army, Sleep in Heavenly Peace and other community partners.
Internationally, our Guatemala Eye Project is a great example of sustainable community impact. For more than 27 years, Edmonton West Rotarians and medical volunteers have partnered with Rotary members and health professionals in Guatemala to provide eye examinations, medications, surgeries and glasses to people who otherwise have little or no access to care. In 2026, our multidisciplinary team provided health and eye services to more than 2,000 patients. Improving someone's health and restoring their sight can have a lasting impact on their ability to attend school, work, support their family and live independently.
We also support education and opportunities for young people, including Project Amigo, which helps students in Mexico create educational opportunities and improve their quality of life. By investing in education and people, Rotary helps create the foundation for stronger communities and greater economic opportunity.
At Edmonton West, we believe that community development starts with people. It is about building partnerships, supporting local organizations, volunteering our time, investing in education and health, and helping create opportunities for people to build better lives.
Community Service
Highway Clean Up
**Giving Back, One Kilometre at a Time!**
What a glorious fall day to get outside and give back to our community! Members of the Rotary Club of Edmonton West, along with our Friends of Rotary and members of MacEwan Rotaract, spent the day volunteering for the Alberta Highway Cleanup.
We tackled our 3 km stretch of highway, and thanks to everyone’s hard work, it is now looking pristine! There’s nothing quite like good friends, fresh air, teamwork and a shared commitment to making our community a little better.
A huge thank you to everyone who came out and helped make a difference. Together, we’re proud to **Serve to Change Lives!**
Thanksgiving at Boyle Street
Giving Thanks Through Community
For more than 10 years, the Rotary Club of Edmonton West has been honoured to be part of the Boyle Street Thanksgiving celebration.
Each year, we are grateful for the opportunity to welcome members of the Boyle Street community, share a delicious Thanksgiving meal, and help create a warm and welcoming day for everyone.
The incredible staff at Boyle Street work so hard to make this event special, and we are so thankful for their dedication and compassion.
A heartfelt thank you to all of our amazing volunteers who generously give their time, energy and kindness. Your willingness to serve and connect with the community is what makes days like this so meaningful.
A special thank you to Hanan Baalbaki, Social Worker at MacEwan University Health Centre, who generously donated the pumpkin pies for this year’s Thanksgiving meal. 🥧❤️ As our Rotary Club has traditionally provided the pies, we were happy to contribute toward the cost of the event instead.
We are proud to be part of this wonderful Thanksgiving tradition and look forward to many more years of giving back together.
On Saturday Lorne, Ken and I were honoured to walk alongside military members, first responders, veterans, families and supporters at the Rucksack March for Remembrance, in support of Wounded Warriors Canada.
The Rucksack March brings people together to honour those who have served and sacrificed for our country, while raising awareness and support for the mental health and well-being of our military, veterans and first responders. Participants carry a weighted rucksack as a symbol of the burdens carried by those who have served.
Today, we also remember those we have lost to suicide and the families, friends and communities who carry their loss. Their lives, service and stories will never be forgotten.
The Rotary Club of Edmonton West is proud to support Wounded Warriors Canada and the important work they do. Our club is also proud to contribute $3000 to the Wounded Warriors Canada Kids Camp, which provides children and families of veterans and first responders with an opportunity to connect, heal, build resilience and create lasting memories together.
We are grateful to walk, remember and stand beside those who have given so much to our communities and our country.
Rotary's IMPACT
Rotary International wants to know our impact so we can demonstrate the difference our work makes, not just what we do. It’s about showing how our volunteer hours, fundraising, donations and partnerships create meaningful, lasting change in our communities and around the world. Measuring impact also helps Rotary identify what works, strengthen partnerships, attract new members and supporters, and tell the story of how People of Action are making a difference.
What IMPACT do we have?
Thank you from the Variety Go Baby Go Program
Thank you so much for your amazing support of the Go Baby Go program! It was wonderful to see so many Rotarians come out to participate in the build.
It was truly a special day, and we hope you enjoyed the experience of meeting Noah and Azariah and their families, while seeing firsthand the direct impact of your support.
We are also pleased to share a heartfelt thank-you note from Azariah’s family. Their words are a wonderful reminder of why our support of this program is so meaningful.
Today has been overwhelming...there's been a big excitement in our community with Azariah's new wheels. We are amazed and thankful for the people that go above and beyond to make things like this possible...Bringing a sense of normal to children with disabilities is something you only truly understand if you have a child with disabilities....thank you again to all of you who make this possible.
Project Amigo
We also received a progress report for our Project Amigo student, Cristian Alexander, whom our club sponsors to attend school. It was wonderful to receive an update on his progress and see the positive impact of our support on his education and future.
A Shout Out for our Highway Clean Up Crew
President John,
Just wanted to send a shout-out to your Rotary Club and a thank you for your initiative to clean up the portion of Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway #16. I know your Club has been doing this for several years and I just wanted to say that, as a representative of the Association that is responsible for TC#16 advocacy and promotion, your Clubs activity is noticed and appreciated.
As a Rotarian myself, (Rotary Club of Edmonton, Past President 1994-1995), I know that these types of activities are meaningful but often not appreciated by the general public (as a Rotarian I know we do these things because they need to be done, not for recognition) so please pass on our – Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway Association – gratitude for your efforts at keeping the highway looking its best – that really helps those traveling to appreciate their journey that much better.
Please also pass on a Rotary Hello to my Rotary friends in your Club who will know me: PDG Jackie, PDG Ingrid, Lorne Proctor, and probably a few others whose names escape me right now.
Yours in Rotary Friendship, and safe travels,
John
H. John Wojcicki
C.A.O.
Trans Canada Yellowhead Highway Association
Thank you from the Ruck for Remembrance
Dear Ruck for Remembrance Participants and Supporters,
On behalf of the Rucksack March for Remembrance team and Wounded Warriors Canada, I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who joined us in Rundle Park on Saturday.
Your dedication, strength, and community spirit made this year’s event truly unforgettable. Together, 186 participants stepped up to walk side-by-side in solidarity with Canadian military members, Veterans, First Responders, and their families. Whether you marched the 5 km, 11 km, or full 22 km route—and whether you carried a weighted rucksack or walked alongside us—every step you took helped honor service, sacrifice, and raise critical awareness for operational stress injuries and mental health.
Thanks to your incredible effort, enthusiasm, and generosity, our current fundraising total is closing in on $40,000! Every dollar raised goes directly to support life-changing clinical mental health programs and family support services provided by Wounded Warriors Canada.
Our work isn't done yet—the donation center will remain open until the end of November. If you, your friends, or your colleagues would like to make an additional contribution or share our cause, please visit www.ruck4rem.ca.
Thank you once again for your remarkable commitment and support.
Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign is Rotary International’s global effort to eradicate polio from the world. Since 1988, Rotary and its partners have reduced polio cases by 99.9%, vaccinated more than 3 billion children, and helped protect children in more than 120 countries. Today, wild polio remains endemic in only Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The progress is remarkable, but the job is not finished. In 2026, reported wild poliovirus transmission remains limited to Afghanistan and Pakistan, with 26 wild polio cases reported as of September 11—23 in Afghanistan and 3 in Pakistan. Continued vaccination, surveillance and funding are essential because stopping the effort now could allow polio to return and potentially paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year.
We were also delighted to welcome “Miss Vicky,” a vintage 1931 Ford Model A Victoria, to our club. Led by Rotarian Dr. Lee Harman, along with co-drivers such as Winston Conyers, Miss Vicky travels to raise awareness and funds for Rotary’s PolioPlus campaign and the global effort to End Polio Now. Their presentation was both informative and inspiring, reminding us of the incredible progress Rotary and its partners have made toward eradicating polio—and the importance of continuing our commitment until the job is finished.
Rotary Club of Edmonton West continues to support this important campaign. Every contribution to PolioPlus helps Rotary and its global partners get vaccines to children, strengthen immunization programs and move us closer to a world where no child will ever again be paralyzed by polio. As we mark World Polio Day on October 24, we are reminded that we are incredibly close—but we need to Finish the Job.
**Giving Back, One Kilometre at a Time!** 
Members of the Rotary Club of Edmonton West, along with our Friends of Rotary and members of MacEwan Rotaract, spent the day volunteering for the Alberta Highway Cleanup. 
There’s nothing quite like good friends, fresh air, teamwork and a shared commitment to making our community a little better. 
Giving Thanks Through Community
