Cloverdale-Langley City MP John Aldag was presented with two special honours, a Rotary Polio Hero award and a Paul Harris Fellowship, at a recent Rotary Club of Langley Central meeting.
Dean Rohrs, chair of the Rotary polio advocacy committee for Canada and the former vice-president of Rotary International, presented Aldag with the Polio Hero Award.
“John has been a polio warrior. He has supported our cause and been instrumental in setting up meetings and events in Ottawa for Rotary over the past five to eight years,” Rohrs said at the March 6 presentation.
“A few weeks ago, he rose to read a letter to the caucus advocating for more funding for polio eradication,” he added.
One of the founding principles of Rotary is the eradication of polio. Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from the paralyzing disease.
In Langley, Rotary has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through member donations, special fundraisers, and bequests from Rotarian member’s wills.
Canada was the first country to place polio eradication on the G8 (now G7) agenda when it hosted the 2002 summit. In 2010 and 2018, the G7 reaffirmed its commitment to global polio eradication.
“Canada’s work to end polio spans decades and transcends party. Together we’ve used our collective strength to defeat this devastating disease in almost every part of the world,” said past Rotary International president John Germ.
At the meeting, club president Rudy Storteboom also presented Aldag with a Paul Harris Fellowship award for his contributions to Rotary.
In 1905, Chicago Attorney Paul Harris founded Rotary International, and the Paul Harris Fellowship recognition acknowledges individuals who embody Rotary’s ideal of service above self and who contribute financially, or have contributions made in their name to the Rotary Foundation.
“John is a friend and personal hero of mine. John is a champion for his constituents, and he demonstrates the Rotary motto of ‘Service Above Self’ in all that he does,” said Storteboom.
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