GOING FOR AND GETTING GOLD
Most of us have heard of Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, but what about Alphonso Cunningham – well, he won a Gold Medal for Jamaica in the Paralympics in javelin – and I was thrilled and honoured when Alphonso arrived at Rotary in London Headquarters in Regent’s Park for our Paralympic Celebration along with the rest of Jamaica’s Paralympic team, proudly carrying his Gold Medal.
I am certain this is the first time that a Gold Medallist has been to York Gate.
Even more relevant to Rotary is that the Jamaica Paralympic Team who competed in their wheelchairs are polio sufferers – and the head of the Team Christopher Samuda said they simply had to accept my invitation to come to the Rotary in London event because of the work that Rotary has done to rid the world of polio and they wanted to pay tribute to Rotarians. He said Rotary had also helped them in their long journey to be able to compete in the Paralympics.
British sprint champion Anne Wafula Strike, who was struck with polio at the age of two in her native Kenya, also joined us for the event. She too paid tribute to Rotary for our work to rid the world of polio and described how Rotary had helped her.
This was Rotary in action – seeing how we really do make a difference to the world around us and showing just how important the battle against polio is and how we must continue the fight until we rid the world of this crippling disease.
We were also joined by the Chief Executive Officer and families of the UK Goalball Team who had been helped by local Rotarians in Winchester and they spoke about their struggles and how Rotarians helped make it possible for them to compete in the Paralympics.
And the Paralympics were so inspirational. I was a volunteer performer/in the Opening and Closing Ceremony of the Paralympics and what an amazing experience it was. In the Opening Ceremony, I was an audience leader –literally dancing in the aisles and getting the audience to participate in the Ceremony – and for the Closing Ceremony, I marshalled and looked after the athletes, including three Silver medallists from the Australian team and double gold medallist Hannah Cockroft from ParalympicsGB.
I also saw Oscar Pistorius – known as “The Blade Runner”- win the Gold medal in the last event in the Olympic stadium and the amazing atmosphere and the warmth and support for the Paralympic athletes was electrifying.
And the legacy of the Paralympics – hopefully, a sea change in attitudes towards disability. And one of Rotary’s London 2012 legacy projects is the Rotary Wheel Appeal to provide sports wheelchairs to young people with disabilities who may become future Paralympians. Rotary Young Citizen Award winner 11-year-old Lydia Cross is the first recipient – a truly inspirational youngster who has raised more than £70,000 for Help for Heroes and the Royal British Legion and who is a speaker at our District Conference.
I was delighted that Clubs also supported the Rotary in London plan of KidsOut to the Paralympics buying group tickets for children with special needs so they could attend the Games.
We opened up York Gate to welcome visitors to the Games during the Olympics and Paralympics and I would like to thank PDG John Lee, DGE Dick Nathan and all the Clubs and Inner Wheel who staffed our headquarters. And of course, my thanks also to the District’s Olympic and Paralympic Committee led by PDG Clive Amos.
The year has kicked off with an amazing time for London with the Games and I look forward to the Rotary year ahead. One of the many highlights is that Rotary in London is in the Lord Mayor’s Show with WheelPower and will feature young people in sports wheelchairs, some playing basketball, as we parade along the route.
EVE CONWAY-GHAZI
District Governor
District Governor David’s speech is available to read here: