August 19, 2026: After a remarkable journey from Dubai to Ottawa, 1,560 Dictionary4Life books arrived safely in District 7040. Last night, Rotarians from across the District gathered to collect their books, while RCWO volunteers got to work preparing our own books for local Grade 3 students.
Despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, somehow our Dictionary4Life books, which are printed by Oriental Press in Dubai, were miraculously shipped through the Strait of Hormuz by sea and arrived in New Jersey, USA.
Thanks to Magnum Book Services, District 7040’s 1,560 books, packed on three pallets, were transported by road to Bushtukah’s warehouse in Ottawa, where they arrived on August 10.
Clubs Come Together
Despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, somehow our Dictionary4Life books, which are printed by Oriental Press in Dubai, were miraculously shipped through the Strait of Hormuz by sea and arrived in New Jersey, USA.
On the evening of Monday, August 17, representatives from participating District 7040 clubs came to Ottawa to pick up their clubs’ pre-ordered and paid-for books. You might ask which clubs and their reps?
- Arnprior: Jane & Gerhard Peters
- Orleans: Peggy Gilmour
- Ottawa South: Jeff Sirrs
- Nepean-Kanata: Susan Hopkinson, Susan Kolar
- Ottawa: Rob Therrien, John Lark
- Smiths Falls: Ken Graham, Tracy Staples, Stewart Blair, Claire Smith
- Brockville: Marilyn Powers, Ken Durand
- Eganville: David Clark
- Cornwall-Sunrise: Larry Guance, Jennifer Deschamps
- North Renfrew (Deep River): Larrie Thomson
- West Ottawa: Linda Flynn, Eric Armstrong, Dave Morton
Eric Armstrong led, alongside Dave Morton, CFO of Bushtukah, an “A” team of West Ottawa Rotarians and family members to get books loaded expeditiously into vehicles and get everyone quickly back on the road again.
Meanwhile, Inside the Warehouse...
But that’s only half the story of that night!
RC West Ottawa had another team inside the warehouse boardroom, inserting labels and bookmarks into the 332 RCWO books that will be presented at 10 schools in October. Bob Harrison coordinated this aspect of the operation, with a great team of volunteers helping to prepare the books.
This “hands-on” evening is always filled with smiles, laughter, re-connections with club reps and lots of fun.
Many Thanks to our volunteers:
Labelling team: Fred Christie, Mary Lever, Miriam Fraser, Theresa Jamone, Jean Begin, Peter Fisher, Susan Diening, Joan Hunter, Sucha Mann, Bob Harrison, Karen Baker (already has a makeup before even joining)
Warehouse Team: Nigel Lever, Don Flynn, Hugh Williams, Wilmer Pulido, Peter Fisher (he did double duty), Joan Hunter (double duty also), Anna Jasiak, Nicho Bonetti (Susan's grandson), Eric Armstrong
Others: Lynne Fraser (Parking Lot Comptroller), Dave Morton (Bushtukah Warehouse overseer), Linda Flynn (D4L Co-Coordinator & Canadian rep)
The Best Part Is Yet to Come
Stay tuned, because the best part is yet to come: the actual school presentations in the fall. We look forward to all the smiling faces of Grade 3 students across District 7040, who often are receiving their very first book of their own. [Insert picture of student hugging book]
Published on: August 18, 2026
Prepared by: Linda Flynn, Chair, Dictionary4Life Committee