District Governor - Frank Adamson

Posted by Chris Anderson on Aug 17, 2020
Frank & Judy Adamson
 
Frank is from the Rotary Club of Fonthill in Ontario.  
 
Frank has been active in community life starting as a cub, a scout, an army cadet and a junior forest ranger.
 
Frank has served in the caring professions all his life as he has been a psychiatric attendant, an ambulance attendant and paramedic. He rose through the ranks to be a supervisor, training officer, assistant manager, and ultimately Chief of Niagara’s Emergency Medical Services. As an educator he has been a college professor and Program Coordinator at Niagara College, and a lecturer at the Ontario College of Health and Technology in the Paramedic Program.
 
Frank was awarded the Governor General’s EMS Exemplary Service Medal in recognition of promoting the profession and community service.  
 
He has been a health planner and Chair of the Niagara District Health Council where he led a Task Force which recommended a 45 million dollar hospital redevelopment plan in Niagara. As a Hospital Administrator he served as V.P. of Planning and Professional Services at the Welland Hospital site.
 
As a fundraiser Frank has served as a Board Member, Campaign Chair and Board Chair with the United Way of South Niagara, and as Executive Director of the United Way of Cambridge, Ontario.
 
He is a certified personal trainer and owner/operator of Kwik Fit Niagara and co-owner of Kwik Fit Kingston.
 
At the Rotary District 7090 level Frank has been a member of the Million Dollar Dinner Committee, the Assistant Governor of Area 7 for two years, Chair of the
Endowment Fund Committee and is a member of the RLI Faculty.
 
He and his wife Judy, a retired psychiatric nurse, are major donors to Rotary, Bequest Society members, and Frank is a Paul Harris Society Member.
 
He has been active in leadership roles on numerous community, provincial and national boards and is presently a board member of Wellspring Niagara Cancer Support Foundation and a member of their Capital Campaign Cabinet. He Chairs the Tour du Lac Committee, which established a cycling ride around Lake Ontario to raise $250,000 for Wellspring’s Capital Campaign. This enjoys the support of many Rotary Clubs in the Niagara Region, the Rotary Club of Kingston, and New York Clubs in Webster, Lockport, and Albion.
 
Part of Frank’s training to become a District Governor is at the zone level where he was able to meet and speak with Rotary International president Holger Knaack.  
 
Frank also mentioned that Jennifer Jones will be the Rotary International president in 2021/2022.  Jennifer is from from the Rotary Club of Windsor-Roseland in Canada.  She will become the first female RI president. About time!
 
Frank explained that COVID is a black cloud hanging over us.  But there is also a rainbow we can see as well!  He detailed his plans for our District for 2020/2021.    
 
District 7090 Overall Plan
  1. Educate and guide clubs on ways to recruit
  2. Train club members to provide strong leadership at the club level
  3. Assist clubs to enhance public image and awareness of Rotary
  4. Motivate and guide clubs to increase their understanding and support of the Rotary Foundation
  5. Inspire clubs to get more involved with youth
 
District 7090 Communications Plan
  1. 10-12 min phone conversation with every club president every month
  2. Encourage R Pres to reach out to him
  3. Encourage President to be in regular contact with ADG’s
  4. Participate in monthly AG zoom meetings
  5. In lieu of traditional club visits, invite DG to PHF’s, special events, inductions, anniversary dinners and fundraisers
  6. Traditional club visits to be virtual via Zoom
  7. Encourage every Canadian club to partner with American club and encourage cross border join meeting fundraiser or special event for each club
  8. In era of COVID, encourage all clubs to stay connected via weekly or bi-weekly zoom meetings
 
Supporting Healthy Communities:  A new/expanded long term mission for clubs of District 7090
  1. Behaviors – exercise, nutrition, mental health, unhealthy behaviors
  2. Environment- safe communities, air quality, biking trials, etc.
  3. Economic Health – anti-poverty
  4. Social Capital – diversity and inclusion
 
District Wide Promotional/Service Projects
 
  1. Multi-district waterside cleanup Lake Ontario and Erie on Earth Day – Frank has a plan!
  2. Buddy benches for lonely or bullied persons – talked about people who are marginalized or need friendship.  For lonely and isolated children to put them at a school and an invitation for another child to sit down and talk to the lonely person.    
  3. Little lending library – Literacy is very important.  Some already doing this!  
  4. Blood donor days – a great need for this! Blood Donor Clinic
  5. Multi-club service projects
DG Frank also spoke about Global Polio Eradication and even showed a pic of an iron lung.   This led him into a fundraiser that will be happening in the Fall.  
Pedal for Polio Day Fundraiser – will be held on October 24, 2020 – Goal is to raise $200,000 – a 66 Rotary Club bike ride to Niagara on the Lake Community Center from Queenston/Lewiston area.  
 
Support for Rotary Foundation Plan
  1. Increase the profile of the district foundation team and programs
  2. Approach clubs who traditionally not supported RF and encourage modes support
  3. Identify foundation ambassadors in each club and provide them with resources
  4. Challenge every member to add RF as their charity of choice
  5. Continue to support global polio initiative.  
 
Growing Rotary Plan
  1. Create 3-4 new clubs as Passport or Satellite clubs in municipalities where there are no active Rotary Clubs.  
  2. Focus in NYS will be Attica, Cheektowaga and Buffalo
  3. Increase club membership by 250 by June 30, 2021
  4. Increase Rotaract and interact clubs by 3-4 clubs.  
 
Special thanks for District Governor Frank for his great presentation and setting the bar high for this Rotary year!