For 35 years, Jeff Jimerson has been singing the U.S. national anthem before Pittsburgh Penguins hockey games. When the visiting team is from Canada, Jimerson also sings “O Canada.” It’s little wonder that Rotary International President and Pittsburgh sports fan Stephanie Urchick chose Jimerson to sing the two anthems in Calgary this June at the Rotary International Convention. In this episode, Rotary magazine senior editor Geoff Johnson sits down with Jimerson to discuss his lifelong career in music, a tragic moment on Canada’s Parliament Hill, and his upcoming performance in Calgary.
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Generosity amid uncertainty: Giving in a volatile market
Over the past few months, volatile markets around the world have sent many investors on an emotional roller coaster. In this episode, Rotarian and financial advisor Derrick Kinney is joined by certified financial planner James Bogart, CEO and founder of Bogart Wealth – one of the top financial planning firms in the country, for a conversation on how to make reasoned decisions while managing your investments and retirement accounts, and charitable giving. Kinney and Bogart’s practical discussion provides an easy-to-understand overview of the current economy and addresses investors’ financial concerns.
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Safe passage: Rotarians fight sex trafficking
In July 2024, dozens of gunshots pierced the quiet Seattle night. Sex traffickers jockeying for turf fired 30 shots on Aurora Avenue North, two blocks from journalist Erin Gartner’s house. Amid a surge of violence crashing over the neighborhood, Gartner felt hopeless — until she found a group of neighborhood volunteers and experts in the problem of trafficking, all of them part of a Rotary club dedicated to the issue. In this episode, Niala Boodhoo speaks with Gartner and two of her fellow Rotary club members.If you are in the U.S. and suspect someone is being trafficked, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. In Canada, call 1-833-900-1010.
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The liberation of Julie Mulligan
16 years have passed since John Mulligan received a phone call from northern Nigeria to his home in Drayton Valley, a small town nestled between two rivers in central Alberta. “John. I’ve been kidnapped.” The caller was his wife, Rotarian Julie Mulligan. What followed was 13 days of fear, uncertainty, and strength. In the aftermath, Julie set out to live a more authentic life of Service Above Self.
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The Final Push: A polio survivor's story
In September of 2023, the Gates Foundation partnered with the Moth – an award-winning storytelling nonprofit organization – to host an event in New York City during the UN General Assembly. The event, Don’t Stop Now: Stories from the Final Push to End Polio, highlighted the personal stories of people whose lives have been impacted by polio. One of the speakers was Safia Ibrahim, a polio survivor and global health advocate. In this episode, you’ll hear Ibrahim’s story as told on the Moth stage. She also discusses her paralytic polio, advocacy work, and experience with the Moth.
The Rotary Voices podcast features in-depth interviews with thought leaders, Rotary news updates, and immersive stories from Rotary magazine. Learn more about Rotary International, and how to participate in Rotary clubs at https://rotary.org.
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