Rotary International Vice President visits Philadelphia club, addresses important issues facing the 34,000 clubs around the world
By Jay Pennie
It was a defining day last Thursday for Rotary International Vice President, Valarie Wafer, and members and guests of the Philadelphia club as gathering in person safely became a reality. Attendees had the opportunity to field questions ranging from the state of international youth Exchange programs to progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.
Past District Governor and Zone Foundation Coordinator Russ deFuria and District Governor Roger Taylor with Valarie Wafer and Jeffry Cadorette.
Wafer is now able to travel around Rotary Zone 28 and 32 (her primary area of responsibility) which encompasses a large community of Rotarians spanning two languages, four countries, and eight time zones: Bermuda, Canada, France, and the U.S. This particular trip included joining the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Rotary Club of West Chester that evening.
The Rotary Club of Philadelphia, chartered in 1911, is the 19th oldest of the 34,000 clubs in the world. “The Philadelphia Club helped charter many of the 50 clubs in the area, including West Chester,” according to Joan Batory, long time member and Past District Governor. “We have a great history and connection to all the nearby clubs and we are very happy for their milestone celebration.”
Wafer, who hails from Toronto, is a seasoned Rotarian who participated and led many initiatives such as a recent mission to Kosovo with Gift of Life International. She also served as the Vocational Training Team in Australia focusing on youth mental health and traveled to India for National Immunization Day efforts.
Commenting on her first in person board meeting at Rotary headquarters in Evanston, Ill., Wafer said, “Never underestimate the importance of physically being together. The conversations in the hall, at lunch and during the walk from the hotel helped build new relationships and support and strengthen our discussions and decisions.”
Joining Wafer were Jeffry Cadorette, Past Rotary International Director and Russ deFuria who served as District Governor and Rotary International Zone Foundation Coordinator. Cadorette, who has a naturally quick and lively manner, fielded questions to Wafer, proving greater context and humor to the discussion.
Jeffry Cadorette and Valarie Wafer fielding questions from members and guests.
Wafer and her husband had a successful 27-year career as a Tim Hortons restaurant owner in Toronto. The Hortons brand is one of the most recognized franchise in Canada. While managing that business, the Wafers were well known for their inclusive and accessible hiring practices. She now chairs Rotary International’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Task Force formed September 2020.
Both Cadorette and Wafer played off of each other’s experiences and discussed the growth of women in leadership positions on the board. “At one time there were no women on the board,” said Cadorette. “Now there are nine women directors who are helping guide the organization.”
Rotary Club of Philadelphia President Alex Snyman, new member Waheed Gbadamosi, Membership Chair Joan Batory, and District Governor Roger Taylor.
“This is such a great opportunity for our members to speak with Valarie today,” said club President, Alex Snyman. “Many of our members had questions about the current state of Rotary and what the future will be like, especially in this post-pandemic environment.”
One of the first large club gatherings since the pandemic, the meeting took place at the Pyramid Club, 52nd floor of a Center City Philadelphia building. Roger Taylor, Rotary International District Governor, SE Pennsylvania, joined the meeting. Taylor inducted two new club members, Waheed Gbadamosi and Christopher Larcade. Gbadamosi, who works in the banking industry, recently relocated from Lawton Oklahoma, but originally hails from Kenya. Larcade runs a sales consulting firm in Philadelphia.
Penn Rotaract Club Vice-President Valeria Germanova and member Rika Yamauchi with Valarie Wafer.
Also joining the event were two members of the Philadelphia-sponsored Penn Rotaract club, Valeria Germanova, who serves as Vice-President and Rika Yamauchi. The youth club is based at the University of Pennsylvania and just like other Rotary clubs meets for business and social reasons and serves the local community through fundraising efforts and direct service projects. Wafer explained that as of July 1, 2022, all Rotaract Club participants will be considered full-fledged members and have the ability to apply for local and international grants.
“This was such a wonderful experience today connecting in person with old friends and meeting new ones,” said deFuria who helped organize Wafer’s travel in the area. Like most of the world, Rotary has relied upon virtual platforms that are wonderful to keep connections around the world but often fall short of the human connection that in person gatherings have.
“Now this feels like a high-energy Rotary meeting that I remember,” said long-time member Joseph Batory, “It is so good to get back to meeting in person.”