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This
October marks 95 years since Jonas Salk, developer of the first safe and
effective polio vaccine, was born. Saturday, 24 October, is World Polio
Day –
a perfect opportunity to join the fight to end the disease:
World Polio Day Video
World Polio Day 2009
World Polio Day:
The Rotary Club of Parkwood
works to
fight polio worldwide
Rotary nears halfway mark in $200 million campaign, as new
polio vaccine is approved for countries still battling the disease
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Rotary
International is celebrating a major milestone reached in its global
fundraising campaign to eradicate polio - nearly US$100 million raised
toward its US$200 million challenge.
As part of a US$355 million challenge grant awarded to Rotary by the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary clubs worldwide are aiming to
raise a total of US$200 million by 2012. The funding will provide
critical support to polio eradication activities, including the
distribution of a new, more effective bivalent polio vaccine that was
recently approved for use in the coming months, for countries still
battling the disease in parts of Africa and South Asia.
Since 1985, eradicating polio worldwide has been Rotary's top
philanthropic goal. In addition to the funds announced today,
Rotary has contributed more than $800 million and countless volunteer
hours to the protection of more than two billion children in 122
countries. The disease remains endemic in just four
countries -- Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan -- although other
countries remain at risk for imported cases.
The Club is
participating in the special screening of the movie
Amelia
at the Reading Cinemas, Harbour Town on
Wednesday 11 November, 6.30pm
screening
with proceeds going to
ROTARY'S US $200 MILLION CHALLENGE
Contact for tickets at $20 each - Ron
Wilson
Mobile:
0413 948 183
Good
movie, good fellowship night with other Rotarians
Links to Polio Eradication efforts may be found
here
Can-do spirit brings Rotary's challenge near
halfway mark
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 US 60 cents worth of vaccine, a child can be protected
against this crippling disease for life. After an international
investment of more than US$6.22 billion, and the successful engagement of
over 200 countries and 20 million volunteers, polio could be the first
disease of the 21st century to be eradicated.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative 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 private sector
donors.
Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united
worldwide to provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and
peace in the world. It is comprised of 1.2 million members working in more
than 33,000 clubs in 200 countries and geographic regions.
Rotary invites the
public to support the polio eradication initiative by visiting
rotary.org/endpolio.
For further information visit,
www.rotary.org/endpolio or
www.polioeradication.org.
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