May 19, 2026
"The Strong Mind: Leadership Lessons from Boxing"
Join us for an inspiring event where we delve into the world of professional sports and explore what it takes to perform at the highest levels.
This engaging panel discussion features former professional boxers Bob MacAdam and Cian Dalton who will share their insights on mental toughness, resilience, and self-motivation.
Discover how the principles of boxing translate into powerful leadership lessons, enhancing your mental health and overall well-being.
Whether you’re an athlete, a leader, or someone seeking personal growth, this event promises valuable tips and strategies to cultivate a strong mind and foster determination in all aspects of life.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from true champions and elevate your own journey to success!
Bob McAdam - Former professional boxer, has made a significant impact on the boxing community in the UK and in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Bob's boxing journey saw him competing at various levels, where he honed his skills and developed a deep understanding of the sport. His experiences in the ring not only shaped him as an athlete but also instilled a strong belief in the importance of dicipline, perserverance, fitness, and mental toughness.
Cian Dalton - Having competed as a middleweight boxer in the USA, Cian Dalton understands the physical and mental demands of high-performance sports. His experiences in boxing have shaped his approach to health, emphasizing the importance of resilience, discipline, and a strong mindset.
We’re honoured to welcome Sarah McLachlan to the Rotary Club of Vancouver on Monday, June 1, 2026, in recognition of her extraordinary philanthropy and lasting impact on our community.
PLEASE HELP OUR CLUB TO SPREAD THE WORD BY SHARING THIS EVENT WITH YOUR NETWORK!
A Canadian music icon, Sarah has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide and earned 3 Grammy Awards and 13 Juno Awards. Beyond her remarkable career, her legacy includes Lilith Fair, a groundbreaking festival that helped reshape the music industry and support the creation of the Sarah McLachlan School of Music.
Today, the School continues to provide free, high-quality music education to children and youth facing financial barriers.
This special luncheon will feature an intimate fireside chat with Sarah, along with a live performance by a School’s alumn.
This event is proudly co-sponsored by:
&
Thank you to our Rotary Members Jason Boudreau, of Vela Wealth, and Navid Morawej of Acorn Early Education for their generosity
Tickets include a three-course plated luncheon. Please note that tickets are non-refundable, but may be transferred to another person until end of day Thursday, May 28.
Questions? Contact admin@rotaryvancouver.org
We look forward to having you join us for this very special event.
Last Wednesday John Richardson and I went to Salt Spring Island and had a great visit with Paul McCrea, who wanted us to extend greetings to our members.
Paul is well, thinks of his fellow Club Members often and misses his long-term Rotary family!
Who do you know that is remarkable?Someone whose story or expertise would captivate a room full of experienced business and community leaders?
Do you know anyone from this Top-Speaker List in Vancouver?
Think thought leaders, change makers, or trailblazers in business, sports, innovation, public service, or philanthropy.
Take a quick scroll through this list & your LinkedIn connections. You might spot someone you haven’t thought about in a while who would be perfect.
If someone comes to mind, please connect with Bill Davidson at billd@davidson-co.com
Date: Saturday, July 18, 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM Location: Ladner Memorial Park, 5010 47 Ave, Delta, BC
This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow Rotary members, relax, and enjoy a great summer day together. There will be something for everyone—delicious food, family-friendly activities, and plenty of time to catch up with friends old and new.
We’re also excited to welcome a special guest, Rotary International Director Marty Helman, who will be joining us for the celebration as part of her cross-country Impact Tour.
Bring your family, bring your Rotary spirit, and be part of a memorable day in District 5040!
We know it is a challenge for Rotary members from outside the Lower Mainland to attend this event. Many of you travel to Metro Vancouver for business, family, and personal reasons. We hope you will be able to plan to join us on July 18th .
We look forward to seeing you!
Thank you for all you do for Rotary and your community,
PDG Chris Offer, Event Chair
PS – Look at the special Event Swag – Rotary-branded clothing for this event!
President Joan Posivy opened the meeting by welcoming members and guests, and recognizing those who attended the recent District AGM, including Parisa, Peter (who also managed Zoom), and Kaz, Club and District Treasurer.
She shared the sad news of the passing of long-time Rotarian Lynda Rocha, honouring her leadership in Youth, RYLA, and Interact, and also celebrated Ian Evans, a 100-year-old Rotarian with 75 years of service.
Member Spotlight – Kevin Hayes
New member Kevin Hayes, managing partner at Variant One, shared how his life and career have consistently blended business and community service. Starting in his family’s computer shop in Calgary, he learned the value of radical customer service and convenience, later building a marketing career working with organizations like oil and gas companies, the Calgary Zoo, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders, where fan-focused marketing helped make the team one of the CFL’s most successful franchises.
Kevin described major roles in community-focused groups such as Rotary, Data for Good, Brands for Better, and the Kinsmen/Kin-type clubs, emphasizing how community involvement has fuelled both his professional growth and local impact.
Now based in Langley and leading Variant One, a performance-based B2B lead generation agency, Kevin says his personal mission is simple: to “do really cool things with really great people,” which is why he’s excited to call this Rotary club—and BC—home for the long term.
Main Program – Destination Vancouver & the World Cup
The main program featured Parker Mason, World Cup Activation Lead, and Krista Alcazar, Director of Market Development, from Destination Vancouver, who outlined how Vancouver is preparing for and capitalizing on hosting the upcoming FIFA World Cup matches.
Overall Goal and Strategy
Parker explained that with the tournament now only about 30 days away, Destination Vancouver’s goal is not just to fill seats and hotel rooms during the matches, but to use the World Cup as a moment to shine a global spotlight on Vancouver and build sustained tourism and business interest over the next 3–5 years.
Krista described their market-based strategy, focusing on countries that deliver strong visitor numbers and spending, and stressed that they never work alone. Key partners include:
Destination BC and Destination Canada
YVR (Vancouver International Airport) and the Port of Vancouver
The Hotel Association and local Attractions, Restaurants, and Tour Operators
They also coordinate closely with the World Cup host committee, the Province, and other stakeholders.
Media, Broadcasters, and Global Exposure
A major part of their work is with travel media, influencers, and official broadcasters:
Over the past year they have hosted journalists and influencers from the US, Mexico, UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Germany, and France, among others.
These visits have already produced around 60 pieces of coverage with an estimated audience approaching 119 million people, and more coverage is still being published.
For the one-year-to-go milestone, they brought media from the UK, Australia, and South Korea to Vancouver, generating about 20 articles and features from that trip alone.
They also worked proactively with official broadcasters, such as SBS in Australia:
Hosted SBS to gather destination footage that will run alongside their match coverage.
Secured a six-episode food series with Australian celebrity chef Adam Liaw, featuring World Cup host cities and their culinary scenes. The Vancouver episode is expected to air in early July.
Krista noted that while the exact long-term impact is hard to measure, this level of earned media and broadcast exposure would be prohibitively expensive if they had to buy it as advertising.
Major World Cup–Related Hosting: Trophy Tour & FIFA Congress
Parker highlighted two recent high-profile opportunities:
The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour stop in Vancouver, where Destination Vancouver hosted eight media representatives from Germany, France, Mexico, and Japan to see the trophy and experience the city.
The FIFA Congress (FIFA’s AGM), which brought about 1,500 delegates from 210 football associations to the Vancouver Convention Centre.
Destination Vancouver staffed welcome desks at key hotels.
They hosted roughly 100 international journalists at BC Place, positioning Vancouver as a capable, welcoming global event city.
Tools, Itineraries, and Support for Businesses
To help visitors and local businesses make the most of the World Cup, Destination Vancouver has created:
A free digital toolkit that any business can download and use without special approvals.
It includes:
A colour palette that blends Destination Vancouver branding with approved FIFA colours.
Graphic elements featuring flags, BC Place, the ocean, mountains, forests, soccer motifs, and an orca.
Ready-made poster and social media templates, available in both Adobe and Canva formats.
The toolkit helps businesses create World Cup-themed promotions and materials that respect FIFA’s strict branding rules.
Travel Trade & Agent Engagement
Krista’s team ran an online training and incentive program for travel agents:
Over 450 agents completed the “Vancouver Specialist” training.
More than 1,000 applied for a hosted World Cup experience.
Three winning agents (plus guests) will be hosted in Vancouver and attend matches.
This has also generated 18 pieces of coverage in travel trade publications, strengthening Vancouver’s position in the travel trade network.
What’s Happening in and Around the City
Parker provided examples of how the city itself will feel during the tournament:
Granville Street (from Robson to Davie) will be closed to traffic and turned into a pedestrian zone with performers, activations, and a festive atmosphere.
Granville Island will host a 1,000-person watch party with a beer garden (beer area 19+, rest family-friendly).
FIFA Fan Fest at the PNE will run with large screens and concerts, including some major musical acts.
Canada Soccer House will be set up at the Shipyards in North Vancouver, with capacity for 6,000–8,000 fans for viewing parties.
Various bars and breweries will host nation-specific gatherings.
In addition, Pacific Boulevard from Science World to BC Place will be closed for the “last mile” on game days, creating a pedestrian route with activations leading into the stadium.
A visual highlight will be Science World transformed into a giant illuminated soccer ball, designed to provide an iconic image for international broadcasts—Science World’s “ball,” BC Place, water, and mountains all in one shot, strongly branding Vancouver on global TV.
Economic Impact, Security, and Capacity – Q&A Highlights
In the Q&A, members raised several concerns and questions:
Security and Readiness
While Destination Vancouver is not responsible for security, Parker noted that there is a large multi-agency World Cup Delivery Forum that has been meeting regularly, including the BC Government, Vancouver Police, Fire, Traffic Management, and other services, planning for a wide range of contingencies.
Why the Main Watch Party at the PNE?
Exact decisions rest with the host committee and city, but space and logistics likely favoured the PNE.
For local businesses, however, smaller watch parties (under 1,000 people and using existing TVs) can often be licensed more easily and at relatively low cost.
Hotel Bookings, Flights, and Economic Tail
Krista reported that:
June is shaping up differently than a typical year, with some leisure and group businesses shifting outside the World Cup window.
May, August, and September are looking particularly strong, and cruise traffic is up with 57 more ships than last year.
They acknowledged academic debate about short-lived vs. lasting economic impact, but stressed that:
The global media exposure and destination awareness generated during the World Cup is extremely valuable and often continues for years, much like the lingering benefits of the 2010 Olympics.
How Club Members and Local Businesses Can Engage
Parker and Krista closed by encouraging local businesses and community members to:
Download and use the Home Turf Toolkit to create compliant, attractive World Cup-themed materials.
Post any public events or watch parties to the Destination Vancouver World Cup events calendar, so they can be discovered by visitors, locals, and the media.
Explore and share information about BC Business House, which will host international investors and business leaders during the tournament to highlight Vancouver’s economic and investment opportunities, not just its tourism appeal.
They emphasized that the World Cup is much more than soccer: it is a city-and province-wide platform to showcase Vancouver’s community, hospitality, and economic strengths to the world.
Thank you Krista & Parker for making time for this valuable presentation to our members and guests.
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