Chatham's Barry Fraser is getting some last-minute preparation in before he takes on a big role with the Rotary Club.
In a few short days, he'll take over as the district governor for an area that includes more than 50 clubs in Ontario and eastern Michigan.
The role requires a lot of prep work -- Fraser has been training to take on the new responsibility for about two or three years now.
One of the things Fraser is most excited about is the prospect of seeing one of the Rotary Club's key goals come to fruition during his one-year term.
"Come this time next year when the international convention is in Toronto, we're hoping we will be able to start on the three-year march of being World Polio-free," says Fraser. "That's our number one priority."
Fraser says it's a cause that's especially close to his heart because the Rotary Club started its mission to eliminate polio back in the 1980s when he was president of the local club in Chatham.
At that time, there were 350,000 new cases of polio each year around the world, but in 2016, there were only 37 new cases across the world in just three countries -- Nigeria, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
Fraser says another key goal for the international club is the environment, with the goal of planting 1.2-million trees over the next year. That comes out to one tree per Rotarian.
The focus on the environment also hits quite close to home. Fraser says part of his goal as district governor will be continuing a joint effort between three Rotary Clubs in Ontario, Michigan, and Ohio to clean up Lake Erie.
"These three districts will be working together for improved environmental sustainability," says Fraser. "We're focused on trying to minimize the green-algae bloom that's in the western Lake Erie watershed.
Being a district governor means a lot of travelling, too. Fraser is expected to visit all of the local clubs under his watch at least once over his one-year term.
"I'm projecting that I'll have at least 150 trips across the border," says Fraser. "It's an added challenge, but that comes with the job."
Fraser will officially take over as the new District Governor for District 6380 on July 1, 2017, but he'll have an induction ceremony a couple of days before that.
There will be a "Meet the Governor Night" at Deer Run Golf Course on June 28.