Raida Bolton was genuinely surprised when presented with the Paul Harris Fellow Award at the April 20 Strathcona Sunrise Rotary meeting.
“To say I’m honoured, and completely caught off guard, is a huge understatement,” said Bolton on her Facebook page. “I was quite speechless this morning at the surprise presentation and I’m still quite speechless. And that does not happen very often!”
Bolton was invited to speak about the Cycle of Life Tour that she and the Comox Valley Cyclepaths are embarking on this aummer to raise funds and awareness for hospice care in the Comox Valley. Bolton, who is the team captain, has a deep and personal connection to hospice in the Valley and has been an advocate dedicating countless hours of her time and efforts to hospice.
This will be Bolton’s fourth year taking part in the Cycle of Life tour. She rides to honour the memory of her father, who had spent his final few weeks under the professional and compassionate care of Comox Valley Hospice at The Views.
In 2019, Bolton convinced her friend Margaret to join the Cyclepaths and they had an amazing journey as the team raised money and made memories all in the name of hospice. Sadly, a few weeks after the 2019 tour, Margaret was diagnosed with cancer and after a short but heroic battle, Margaret passed away on May 28, 2020. Now Bolton and the Cyclepaths ride to honour Margaret as well.
Bolton dedicates so much of her time to helping others which goes hand in hand with Rotary’s guiding principle, “Service Above Self.” Congratulations on this well deserved honour.
“Thank you so very much for all the kind words,” said Bolton. “Coming from Rotary, where so many members do so many great things around the world, I’m completely humbled to be in such amazing company.
“I feel like my dad would have loved this.”