During the annual Changeover event of the Vincennes Rotary Club, Rotarian Jim Gislason was presented with the prestigious Leo A. Simon Award by outgoing President Eric Peters, recognizing his extraordinary 50 years of perfect attendance and five decades of service.
Jim Gislason has been a Rotarian since 1976 and has dedicated a lifetime to advancing the mission and values of Rotary at the club, district, and international levels. He served as District Governor during the 1997–1998 Rotary year and has held numerous leadership roles throughout his Rotary journey.
Past District Governor and longtime friend Steve LaRoche shared reflections on Jim’s legacy, describing him as one of the most resilient, dedicated, and persistent Rotarians he has ever known. Steve also shared personal stories, including the honor of having Jim as his Rotary sponsor and recognizing Jim as the recipient of the Governor’s Choice Distinguished Service Award.
Jim’s commitment to The Rotary Foundation is reflected in both leadership and generosity. He is a Rotary Major Donor, Paul Harris Society Member, Bequest Society Member, and PolioPlus Society Member. He has served the district in numerous capacities, most recently as District PolioPlus Chair, continuing his strong advocacy for Rotary’s global effort to eradicate polio.
In 1982, while serving as Secretary of the Vincennes Rotary Club, Jim played a pivotal role in the early days of Rotary’s historic polio eradication efforts. Following Rotary’s successful vaccination campaign in the Philippines, which resulted in the elimination of polio cases there, clubs were challenged to support a bold global vision. When the district set a goal of $11,000 for the Vincennes club—far exceeding anything previously raised—Jim proposed increasing the goal to $15,000. Under his leadership, the club surpassed expectations, raising more than $30,000. That campaign helped ignite what would become PolioPlus, now one of Rotary’s most impactful humanitarian initiatives.
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