Speakers

Charlene Hargreaves is a Community Development Manager with Canadian Blood Services, where she works closely with community and corporate partners to inspire blood and stem cell donation. She supports community-led initiatives and service organizations across Edmonton, helping translate civic leadership into life-saving action. Charlene is passionate about building strong partnerships and creating accessible opportunities for communities to support Canada’s Lifeline.

Charlene's presentation will provide an overview of blood, plasma, stem cell, organ, and tissue donation, as well as volunteer opportunities with Canadian Blood Services. Attendees will learn about the ongoing need for donors, the impact of donations on patients’ lives, and ways individuals and community groups can get involved. The session also highlights practical steps for participation, partnership opportunities, and how collective action can make a meaningful difference in saving lives.

Our meeting will be dedicated to the annual visit of our Rotary District Governor, Ramesh Ferris, who will join our meeting over Zoom.

Ramesh is a polio survivor and global health advocate. Born in Coimbatore, India, and adopted into a loving family in Whitehorse, Yukon, he was the first international adoption in the Yukon Territory, arriving September 27, 1982. Ramesh contracted polio at six months of age. After undergoing multiple surgeries and years of rehabilitation in Canada, he regained mobility using leg braces and crutches.

A dedicated Rotarian since 2009, Ramesh is best known for his 2008 “Cycle to Walk” campaign, where he hand-cycled 7,140 kilometres across Canada (Victoria, BC, to Cape Spear, NL) to raise awareness and funds for Rotary International’s PolioPlus campaign for polio eradication, as well as for rehabilitation and education.

Ramesh works in the field of social work, is married to fellow Rotarian Dagmar Ferris, who is a high school mathematics teacher, and they live in Whitehorse, Yukon.

As District Governor, Ramesh leads with the Rotary theme “Unite for Good,” encouraging Rotarians and Rotaractors to build stronger clubs, champion local and global service projects, and remain focused on the promise of a polio-free world.

The world is gradually shifting towards renewable energy. One of the challenges of this transition is replacing carbon-based fuels used in transportation applications like cars and trucks. Hydrogen is one potential replacement.

Our speaker is Program Director - Mobility with the Edmonton Region Hydrogen Hub which is "a collaborative initiative dedicated to advancing a thriving hydrogen economy in the Edmonton Region and beyond. Bringing together municipalities, industry, and associations, the HUB focuses on building a robust hydrogen value chain through collaboration, system integration, and policy advocacy. Leveraging the region’s world-class hydrogen production facilities and strategic infrastructure, the HUB drives innovation, promotes decarbonization, and stimulates economic growth, positioning the Edmonton region as a global leader in sustainable hydrogen development."

For more information, go to:

https://www.hydrogen.ca/