August 5, 2026: On Sunday, August 2, 2026, Rotary Club of West Ottawa members, family, friends and student volunteers returned to Aid Station #3 at IRONMAN Canada Ottawa. What began as a day of handing out water and fruit became a weekend of community partnerships, youth engagement, food rescue, new friendships and plenty of stories to tell.
By mid-afternoon, everyone was soaked.
Rain hammered the course. Water pooled under the tents. Volunteers filled cups, cut fruit, hauled ice, and cheered runners through the downpour. Nobody suggested stopping. If anything, the cheering got louder.
For several hours, Aid Station #3 became home to the Rotary Club of West Ottawa.
A few days before the event, Rotarian Dave Morton, RCWO's Aid Station Team Captain, and Past President Marcia Armstrong were invited to the IRONMAN Foundation athlete gathering at Athlete Village.
There, they met Race Director David Holme, IRONMAN Foundation athletes, and volunteers from across North America. Holme spoke about the important role community organizations play in making an event the size of IRONMAN possible. Dave and Marcia also had an opportunity to meet athletes and Foundation representatives before race weekend officially began.
One athlete and his partner immediately recognized Rotary through their home club in Cobourg. It was a small reminder that Rotary connections often appear in unexpected places.
By Sunday morning, most of the preparation had already been completed. An entire trailer had been loaded with water, sports drinks, fruit, ice, cups, tables, tents, and enough supplies to serve thousands of runners. Weeks of planning went into recruiting volunteers, coordinating deliveries, organizing shifts, and ensuring everything would be ready when the first athletes reached the station.
Once the race was underway, there was little time to stand still.
Team members filled hundreds of cups at a time. Bananas and oranges disappeared almost as quickly as they could be cut. Ice had to be replenished constantly, and empty boxes were replaced with full ones. Every runner received encouragement, whether they were leading the race or simply determined to reach the finish line.
Then the rain arrived and never really stopped. Nobody left. Instead, rain jackets appeared and hats filled with water. Still, the volunteers laughed, handed out cups, and kept cheering.
As Club member Phil Powel Smith later reflected, "We were drenched. Still we kept watering them with smiles, joking, and laughter. Great fun." Another volunteer, Jake Maarse, called it "a character builder for all."
One of the quieter successes of the day involved several local high school students. Their school is working toward chartering a new Interact club, but they did not wait for the paperwork before becoming involved. They volunteered alongside RCWO members throughout the afternoon, helping restock tables, prepare refreshments, and cheer athletes through the rain. It didn't take long before they felt like part of the team. Sometimes the best introduction to Rotary is not a meeting. It is working alongside people who enjoy serving their community.
When the course closed, volunteers packed away the tables and tents. The work, however, was not finished. Rather than allowing surplus food to go to waste, Dave Morton coordinated the delivery of fresh fruit and other usable food to FooDeliver. Led by RCWO member Ali Shaker, the Ottawa community organization rescues surplus food and redistributes it to refugees and newcomers. Unopened snacks found another purpose as well: they'll be used for RCWO's upcoming Adventure in Finance, ensuring that resources from one community project would help support another.
One afternoon of volunteering ultimately benefited athletes, newcomer families, and local youth alike. Athletes received encouragement, food that might otherwise have been discarded was redirected into the community, and young people discovered service through experience. Club members also strengthened friendships while working toward a common goal. Everyone left a little more connected than when they arrived.
The impact of the weekend extended well beyond the race course. RCWO's Instagram reel was viewed more than 10,000 times, introducing thousands of people to Rotary in action. One of the Club's Facebook posts was also shared by IRONMAN, extending its reach well beyond Ottawa.
After the race, athletes and their families began posting messages thanking the volunteers who had helped them through one of the toughest parts of the marathon.
Kyle Kiffer, President-Elect of the Rotary Club of Nordonia Hills in Ohio, wrote:
"I competed in Ironman Ottawa yesterday and want to thank the West Ottawa Rotary Club for your outstanding volunteers and positive energy. Despite the very wet conditions, your encouragement made a meaningful difference to many athletes. Thank you for your 'Service Above Self.'"
Another message came from the family of athlete Olivier Courchesne:
"Thank you for being there for the athletes. Olivier Courchesne and his family are grateful. Despite an injury, he completed the course."
Their comments echoed what many volunteers already knew: a cup of water is important, but sometimes it is the encouragement that helps someone reach the finish line.
Inside the Club, the conversations afterward were less about the rain than about the people. Members talked about serving alongside spouses, children, friends, and students. They talked about working with Club members they had not partnered with before. Most importantly, they talked about coming back next year.
Thank You to Our Many Contributors!
Events like this do not happen by accident.
As Aid Station Team Captain, Dave Morton coordinated volunteer recruitment, race-day logistics, communication with IRONMAN organizers, and the post-event food redistribution. He also represented RCWO at the IRONMAN Foundation athlete gathering before the race and at the Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast afterward.
Following the event, Club members were quick to recognize Dave's leadership.
Linda Flynn wrote:
"Thank you so VERY much for your incredible leadership, delegation, organization, execution of the day... You did an AMAZING job!"
Past President Marcia Armstrong added:
"Congratulations Dave for a fantastic job!!! Thank you so much for giving our Club members and friends a fantastic service experience."
That phrase, a fantastic service experience, captures something important.
We often measure community projects by the people they help. They are just as valuable for the people who volunteer.
Thank you to every Club member, family member, friend, and student volunteer who spent part of the weekend helping complete strangers reach the finish line.
IRONMAN in Pictures
References
- Rotary Club of West Ottawa. (2026, August 2-5). Facebook and Instagram posts about IRONMAN Canada Ottawa.
- Morton, D., Armstrong, M., Flynn, L. M., Coke, N., & Lake, C. (2026, August). Personal communications regarding RCWO's participation in IRONMAN Canada Ottawa.
- IRONMAN Canada Ottawa athletes and family members. (2026, August). Comments posted to Rotary Club of West Ottawa social media.
- Rotary Club of West Ottawa Public Relations Committee. (2026, August). Social media analytics.
Published on: August 5, 2026
Prepared by: Erin Ueffing, Chair, Public Relations Committee; photo credits to Bachir Bastien, Ania Jasiak, Dave Morton.