An end to polio is so close.
And in honour of World Polio Day, which is observed on Oct. 24, The Noon Rotary Club of Campbell River is continuing a 27-year Rotary commitment and initiating a month long educational awareness campaign designed to raise funds and inform people just how close we are to eradicating the crippling childhood disease polio.
World Polio Day follows a succession of significant developments that have made 2014 one of the most important years in the history of the polio eradication initiative.
Last year was the “Pumpkins for Polio” campaign, in conjunction with the Campbell River Arts Council members who provided interesting, colourful and original creations. An evening of food and auctioning was held at the Campbell River Men’s Club. It was a very entertaining evening which raised $2,200.
The fifth Wednesday Halloween party included a pumpkin sale which raised almost $1,200. Another $700 was raised during the passing of the hat at a noon Rotary meeting.
This year, Discovery Foods at Willow Point will be donating pumpkins to the Rotary Club of Campbell River and once again the finished works of art will be auctioned off Friday, Oct. 24 at the Campbell River Men’s Club.
During this year’s World Polio Day on Oct. 24, a livestreaming event from Chicago will be broadcast at 3:30 local time. Visit http://new.livestream.com/rotaryinternational/worldpolioday and take part.
Since 1985, Rotary has contributed nearly $1.2 billion and countless volunteer hours to the protection of more than two billion children in 122 countries. The disease remains endemic in three countries – Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan – although other countries remain at risk for imported cases.
A highly infectious disease, polio causes paralysis and is sometimes fatal. As there is no cure, the best protection is prevention. For as little as a dollar’s worth of vaccine, a child can be protected against this crippling disease for life. After an international investment of more than US$9 billion, and the successful engagement of over 200 countries and 20 million volunteers, polio could be the first human disease of the 21st century to be eradicated.
GPEI is spearheaded by the World Health Organization, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). It includes the support of governments and other private sector donors.
About Rotary
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges.