When Rotary International launched PolioPlus in 1985, more than 125 countries were still polio endemic, and at least a thousand children were paralyzed every day,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at Rotary’s 2009 Convention.
Since then, Rotary has led the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, side by side with the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. More than two billion children have been immunized. More than five million children who otherwise would have been paralyzed are walking. There are now only four countries that are still polio endemic. Rotary’s vision of a polio-free world is in sharp focus.
UPDATE ON POLIOPLUS by Alex Allwood
We need over $6,000 in 14 weeks to meet our PolioPlus campaign target to raise $10,000 this year. So we need your help!
We have had a number of great ideas put into action from Meg, Tom, Dominic & Phillip. And in case you missed Phillip’s idea of turning $10 into $100, his daughter made the cupcakes and his office enjoyed them to the tune of $100! There’s lots of ideas, so here’s a couple to get you thinking: – Arrange a PolioPlus golf day with your buddies – Dinner party for charity – Lose weight & get friends to sponsor you – Ebay your old-wares online – Sell Gary’s shavers – see Gary Price – Bike-a-Thon: get work colleagues to sponsor you – Wash windows or mow lawns – Play the share market (if you’re good!) – Auction a bottle of wine at work – Neighborhood car wash As Suzanne Campbell said: “We are standing on the precipice of accomplishing one of the greatest dreams that humanity has ever envisioned: the global eradication of polio!”
