Reasonably priced New Orleans hotel for IFMR riders

IFMR member Bob Hirsch reports that he made New Orleans hotel reservations that are much cheaper than the ones nearest the Convention Center! if any IFMR riders would like to change their reservations, stay at same hotel, and save money too:

Clarion Inn 100 Westbank Expressway , Gretna, LA, US, 70053 Phone: (504) 366-2361 Fax: (504) 362-5814

   AAA rate for standard room with 2 double beds is $112.50 on Fri-Sun, $98.50 Mon-Tues.They still have quite a few rooms available.
   This hotel has all the normal amenities PLUS a full buffet breakfast, free parking PATROLLED BY THE CITY POLICE FORCE, and a free shuttle that takes you to the free Canal Street Ferry which is walking distance from the Convention Center, French Quarter, Etc.
   It appears that parking and motorcycle security may be a problem, so this property solves those problems. And it's only about 5.2 miles (11 minutes) from the Convention Center.
   It would be great to have a large contingent from IFMR staying together!

    --  Bob Hirsch, Sebastopol, CA

Special processing for POLIO PLUS donations in $Cdn cash

    Several Canadian IFMR members have asked for clarification of the procedure required by the Rotary Foundation for handling cash donations to POLIO PLUS in Canadian dollars in order to assure that donors receive proper credit and acknowledgement from the Foundation.  Here is the clarification provided by Clare Monroe, Supervisor, Rotary's $200 Million Challenge, The Rotary Foundation:

   " In the case of cash donations (by Canadians), we would recommend that the Canadian IFMR member to write a check for the cash made payable to the TRF Canada office. When he sends the check in, please have him include the completed donation forms which will allow each donor to receive a Canadian tax receipt." 
    If you need additional information or further clarification, p;lease contact Clare Monroe directly at clare.monroe@rotary.org

Volunteers needed to staff IFMR booth in New Orleans

Long-time IFMR members and frequent convention attendees Bill Fee and Ken Brandt are working on plans for the IFMR booth in the House of Friendship at the New Orleans convention, as well as arrangements for an IFMR membership meeting and fellowship dinner.

Plans for the IFMR booth include show-casing Bob "POLIO PLUS" Mutchler's side-car motorcycle in the booth, plus the usual displays of photos and hand-outs describing our fellowship and events, membership forms, etc. At last year's convention in Montreal, we signed up some 30 new members at the IFMR booth. We hope to do the same at this year's convention.

In order to do that we need volunteers to help us staff the booth for a few hours every day the House of Friendship is open, beginning Saturday May 21 thru May 25. If you plan to be in New Orleans and can help staff the IFMR booth for a few hours, please contact Bill Fee (wsfee@comcast.net) or Ken Brandt (keystnken@aol.com) and let them know about your interest and availability.

Also, if you have photos from one of the IFMR get-togethers/rides in your area that you'd like to have included in the photo display in the booth, send those along to them as well.

Day Rides planned after arrival in New Orleans

For IFMR riders who would like to see more of the local country-side after arrival at the convention center, a pair of Friday afternoon rides have been planned by local riders lead by Mark Shirley in Baton Rouge:

* To Oak Valley Plantation, along winding river roads to an exquisite plantation and a great restaurant

* Along the Gulf Coast to Biloxi where we will visit MS Coast Harley Davidson and eat at the Hard rock Café

Additional rides and self-guided route information is also being prepared; and experienced local Ride Captains will also be available for guided rides in the bayou country and beyond.

Each IFMR Ride Captain will have information on the various rides that are available.  Meanwhile, If you want additional local ride or route information in advance of your arrival, contact Mark Shirley directly at marks@dandwcpa.org or 225-769-5711.

Harley Davidson of Baton Rouge plans "Bike Night" for arriving IFMR riders

Mark Shirley and his team of Baton Rouge Rotarians have been contacting local motorcycle dealers and clubs to alert them to the expected arrival of the IFMR POLIO PLUS riders and to be prepared to provide service for any who may need it when they arrive.  They have arranged for Harley-Davidson of Baton Rouge to host a ‘bike night’ with food and band for IFMR riders on Thursday night, May 19, and staging for the group’s departure on Friday morning for New Orleans.

Mark and his team are also coodinating with local law enforcement and news media to alert them to the expected Thursday arrival and the group’s ride to the convention site in New Orleans on Friday, as well as working out logisitical details of the arrival in New Orleans with RI’s Shari Pontillo, New Orleans police, and others.

Several RI VIPs plan to join the IFMR riders in New Orleans for the final leg from the Super Dome to the Moreal Convention Center. Arrangements are being made for side-car rigs and trikes to carry the VIPs, whom Rotary does not allow to ride on regular motorcycles.

Baton Rouge Rotarians Prepare for IFMR Arrival

Volunteers from the Baton Rouge Capital City Rotary Club are gearing up to make the arrival of IFMR POLIO PLUS riders on May 19 an exciting but safe event. Mark Shirley, past president of the Capital City Rotary Club and board member of the local HOG chapter, is coordinating details with local motorcycle dealers, state and local police, hotels, tourism agencies, news media, and others.

Phillipa Blair, a Capital City Rotary member and director of visitation services at Visit Baton Rouge, offered the help of her office, including their brochure on interesting motorcycling routes in Louisiana for those who may want to explore the area on day trips during the Rotary convention.

Anticipating perhaps 100 IFMR riders and their passengers arriving in Baton Rouge on May 19, Shirley has talked with local Harley and other motorcycle dealers about hospitality and fellowship events to greet arriving riders. He is also discussing arrangements for police escorts that may be needed for the group in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and in between on May 20, as well as contacting local hotels to make sure there are adequate rooms to accommodate everyone, including the possibility of a larger-than-expected turn-out.

Both Shirley and Blair are working directly with IFMR Ride Captains on details, which the Ride Captains will pass along to their riders. However, if you have specific questions about possible day-trip routes or other local details, you can contact the directly at

   Mark Shirley (marks@dandwcpa.org) 1-225-769-5711
   Phillipa Blair (Philipa@visitbatonrouge.com) 1-225-382-3586

If you contact them directly, be sure to thank them for their volunteer support of IFMR and POLIO PLUS riders.

Lodging enroute and in Baton Rouge and New Orleans

Lodging information for New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and stops enroute is now being posted.  Information for the Albany-New Orleans group is now posted at left; New Orleans information is now posted at right.  The room situation in New Orleans is tight.  Additional rooms are also being arranged in Baton Rouge to accommodate everyone despite the fact that LSU graduation is going on that week and consuming many rooms in that area.  Lodging information for other routes will be posted as it becomes available.  Meanwhile, contact the Ride Captain for your route if you have questions.

The RV Fellowship of Rotary has campground space arranged at the University of New Orleans and has extended an invitation to IFMR members interested in camping there during the convention. If you wish to explore that option, contact RVF president Reba Lovrien at 505-350-3386 (president@rvfweb.org) or president-elect Bob Craig at 315-668-1362 (preselect@rvfweb.org) for more information.