Elly and Ramiro Contreras have a passion for travelling the world to Rotary International conventions. They are pictured with Osoyoos Rotarian Marieze Tarr. (Keith Lacey photo)

Besides their love for each other, Elly and Ramiro Contreras share a passion for travel and being proud Rotary Club members.

And that passion has seen them travel around the world to attend Rotary International Conventions, including the 2017 version that took place from June 10-14 in Atlanta, Georgia.

This was the 11th time that the Contreras have attended the Rotary International Annual Convention, which has seen them travel to such faraway places as South America and Europe.

With Toronto set to host next year’s annual convention in June, Elly made a presentation to the Osoyoos Rotary Club recently to try and encourage other members to join them in Toronto, while also detailing the wonderful experiences they have shared as a result of attending these annual conventions over the past many years.

“Everyone has a bucket list … and I bet most peoples’ bucket lists includes travel,” she said.

When she and her husband became heavily involved with Rotary, they decided they would combine their love of travel to attend the national conventions in various countries and continents.

In the year 2000, they attended their first Rotary annual convention in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina.

That experience was so rewarding, they have attended 10 more national conventions over the past 16 years, she said.

They attended the 2016 annual convention in St. Paul, Minnesota and checked off another “bucket list checkmark” by being able to travel along the Mississippi River in a riverboat, she said.

Attending the 108th annual international convention in Atlanta was a very rewarding experience as the list of special guest speakers was remarkable and they got to attend a special block party and a Ricky Skaggs concert in Atlanta, she said.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter welcomed the participants in the 2017 convention via video message.

Guest speakers included Coca Cola CEO James Quincey and former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young, who was a longtime friend and fellow civil rights advocate of Martin Luther King.

Also speaking to the 40,000 Rotary delegates was Microsoft founder and legendary global philanthropist Bill Gates, popular actor and human rights activist Ashton Kutcher and wrestling superstar and actor John Cena.

The three men have formed a team committed to address polio, the formerly deadly disease that has remarkably almost been eradicated from the planet.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced near the end of the convention that it would be donating $450 million (U.S.) to support finalizing the eradication of polio in the world.

The announcement was made by Gates and Rotary International president John Germ during the convention.

Rotary International has agreed to donate $150 million towards the same cause, while the Canadian government has also committed to donating $75 million, said Elly.

A total of $1.2 billion has now been committed to eradicate the disease by the year 2020, she said.

With the Toronto convention set for June 23-27, Elly and her husband urged Osoyoos members to join them and attend an event they shouldn’t miss.

During her many travels to Rotary International conventions, Elly said she is always impressed with how popular Canadian Rotary members are with delegates from around the world.

“We’re constantly told Canadians are the nicest people … I couldn’t believe how popular Canadians are,” she said.

Calgary hosted the 2007 international convention, while Montreal hosted the event in 2010 and both were amongst the best conventions held in over 100 years, she said.

“Canada has set the standard,” she said. “I truly believe that Toronto may very well be the best international convention you will ever attend.

“We hope you will join us. The Toronto convention will be an unforgettable experience.”

Members with the Osoyoos Rotary Club meet almost every Thursday throughout the year at the Best Western Inn hotel in Osoyoos at noon.

KEITH LACEY

Osoyoos Times