Qualicum Beach council chambers got a touch of colour and old-world charm Monday night as town crier Len Mustard and wife Marie donned their red velvet duds and rang their bell for the local Rotary Club.
The Mustards were there to announce that February 23 will be Rotary Day in Qualicum Beach.
Mustard noted Rotary International was founded on Feb. 23, 1905 in Chicago and is one of the largest non-profit service organizations on the planet, with more than 1,213,608 members at last count.
He added Rotary funds club projects and sponsors volunteers to provide medical supplies, health care, clean water, food production, job training and education.
Mustard pointed out the PolioPlus campaign, launched in 1985, in conjunction with the World Health Organization and UNICEF to immunize children and make that scourge history.
To this end he noted polio cases have dropped by 99 per cent since 1988.
“We hereby encourage all citizens to join us in recognizing Feb. 23, 2011 as Rotary Day in Qualicum Beach, recognizing Rotary and its members for their 106 years of service to improve the human condition, not only at home, but around the world,” he cried.