Rob Flosman is a longtime history teacher at Waterdown District High School. Rob set up full sized models of a WWI trench and Anne Frank's room. This was later moved to the Waterdown Legion where the Waterdown Museum of Hope and Margaret's Legacy Holocaust Education displays were erected. He thanked the Rotary Club of Waterdown for its financial contribution to the display. Rob reminded us that November 9 & 10 is a time to remember Kristalnact, the first state sponsored terror event focusing on the Jewish population. His stories involved his students who talked with their grandparents to learn of the lead up to the Holocaust and its aftermath. Each story was so personal and often lead to some damp eyes in the room. A number of club members added their own stories. After Rob's talk we circulated the room looking at the displays there. For anyone interested in returning to the Jewish Federation and its museum a reservation is needed and there is a cost of $11 pp. If you are interested in more information visit the Waterdown Museum of Hope, November 7 from 4-8 pm, November 8 from 10 am - 2 pm, November 10 from 4 - 8 pm and November 12 from 4 - 8 pm. November 11 from 10 am - 3 PM is a Remembrance Day ceremony at the Waterdown legion.

 

Dr. Ken Ockenden was introduced by Russ Powers who worked with him when Ken was a provincial coroner. Ken was born in Hamilton, graduated in chemistry from McMaster, completed medical school in Toronto, worked in northern Ontario, Central America and Hamilton hospitals. He also had polio 3 years in a row. That's what he talked about.
 
He gave a history of polio starting from paintings from early Egypt and working up to 1949 when as a young boy swimming in the local pool he developed a fever, and headache and had difficulty walking. He was sent to the General Hospital. There were young boys and girls there, one in an iron lung. After two weeks he improved and was sent home to recover. A year later he was back with similar conditions and recovery period. And then the next year he got it again. It turned out there were 3 different strains of poliomyelitis and he got all three.
 
Ken was one of the lucky children who got polio. He recovered with no real long term issues although he is now noticing his legs are weaker than usual (could be age).
 
When the polio vaccines were discovered infections decreased until everyone was vaccinated. Canada has been polio free for years although Pakistan and Afghanistan are still dealing with the disease. Rotary International continues to advocate for the eradication of polio and spends millions of dollars each year to meet this challenge.

Carole St. Laurent, our club's first Rotary Peace Scholar, recently returned from Uganda. She is using the skills of her year long course to help raise a generation for peace. Carole is the founder of Cry Peace. She is a digital storyteller, writer and song writer and received a post graduate diploma in peace and conflict studies. Her mission is to raise a generation for peace by teaching children the attitudes and aptitudes of peace-building. The curriculum:

Her future goals are to train more trainers to teach the children, to develop strategic partnerships, to register her organization as a non-profit and develop evidence of its impact.