|
Cycling to end polio | |
![]()
Past District Governor Ernie Montagne and his wife, Sally, celebrate at El Tour de
Tucson’s finish line. More than 80 Rotarians, family members, and friends from 10 U.S. states and four countries participated in El
Tour de Tucson in November, raising over $101,000 for Rotary’s Challenge for polio eradication. The group was among more than 8,500 cyclists who
rode in support of 20 nonprofit organizations. The annual charity event is sponsored by the University of Arizona Medical Center. Participants
rode distances of 42, 60, 85, or 111 miles. Rotarians and friends of Rotary helped staff aid stations along the route, serving refreshments to riders.
Two members of the visiting Group Study Exchange team from Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine in District 2450 rode in the event, while
the others worked at the aid station. The Rotarian volunteers “ensured that every cyclist was met with a smile, refreshments, and a
helping hand,” says Gary Hirsch, of the Rotary Club of Tucson. “For the first time, [we] staffed a booth at the tour finish line,
providing a place for cyclists to gather and for others to learn about Rotary.” |
|
Polio survivor inspires support | |
![]() Ten days before his 21st birthday, David Goldstone lay in a
hospital bed near Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, his arms and legs paralyzed by polio, his body gripped by fever and in terrible pain. His
hospital admission form read, "Life expectancy: 24 hours."
Read more
David Goldstone,
polio survivor and staunch advocate for eradication efforts |
|
Golfers score big for polio | |
In North Carolina, USA, the Rotary clubs of Greenville, Greenville (Morning), and Greenville (Noon) organized a golf tournament
that raised more than $15,000 for the challenge in October. Twenty teams of golfers participated in the event, with individuals and businesses
sponsoring every hole. The three clubs have netted over $50,000 for polio eradication through the event in the last four
years. “I’m proud of the generosity and humanitarian concern of all the players and sponsors,” says Ed Adams, a member of the
Greenville club, who chaired the event. “We hope to keep the tourney rolling until the last polio case is
reported.” |
|
Road rally goes the
distance | |
Rotarians
organized a road rally in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, in December, raising US$10,000 for polio eradication from business sponsors of the event. A
68-car caravan drove 45 miles from Fortaleza to Praia das Fontes. “These vehicles received [End Polio Now] promotional stickers and became
moving billboards” in the area, says Henrique Vasconcelos, a regional Rotary Foundation coordinator. The day after the rally, Vasconcelos
says, Rotarians “donated wheelchairs, food, and hammocks, which serve as beds for the poor people in our area. We also had doctors and dentists
providing free checkups.” ![]()
Rotarians and
friends take part in the road rally promoting polio eradication in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. |
|
Challenge fundraiser roundup | |
• District 5050 (parts of British Columbia, Canada, and
Washington, USA) sponsored “Music in the Man Cave,” raising US$27,000 for the challenge. The event, held in Arlington, Washington,
featured a concert by jazz harpist Bronn Journey and his wife, singer Katherine Journey, who are both recording artists. Bronn dedicated the benefit
concert in memory of his father, a polio survivor. • Instead of sending gifts to Past RI Director Rudolf Hörndler of Germany on
his birthday, his friends made donations totaling more than US$7,000 to PolioPlus, at Hörndler’s request. • The Rotary
Club of Elyria, Ohio, USA, raised $5,900 in response to a moving polio eradication presentation by Past District Governor James Hunt, in which he
spoke about a childhood friend who had the disease. • The Rotary Club of El Segundo, California, USA, sponsored a dinner, silent
auction, and presentation by a polio survivor as part of an event that raised $5,700. ![]() • Members of
169 Rotary clubs in the United Kingdom purchased umbrellas emblazoned with the Rotary emblem in order to participate in a drawing for prizes organized
by the Rotary Club of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. The fundraiser netted about US$3,400.
• The Rotary Club of Ogden (Mt.
Ogden), Utah, USA, raised $2,200 and the Interact Club of Weaver High School raised $1,000 as part of a 100-mile run to end
polio. • Pumpkins for Polio, a project sponsored by the Rotary Club of Meadow Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, on World Polio
Day, 24 October, garnered about US$900. ![]()
|
|
We want to hear from you! | |
If you have a fundraising success story, email it to us at rotarys200mil...@rotary.org.and your story could
be featured in the End Polio Now newsletter. | |
|
Rhodes lights up the world | |
Thalassini Pyli (Sea Gate) in the walled medieval city of Rhodes, on the island of
Rhodes, Greece, is illuminated with the End Polio Now message. Rotary clubs lit up iconic structures around the world with the message in February in
celebration of Rotary's anniversary on 23 February. Read more.
![]()
|
|
Tri-country effort boosts
awareness | |
The
All India End Polio Now Road Show, organized by District 3201 (parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu), helped increase awareness of the disease in India,
Nepal, and Bhutan, along with raising funds. Starting in Cochin, Kerala, on 11 December, a team of six Rotarians visited towns and villages in 24
states, meeting with government health officials along the way. Their journey covered an estimated 11,500 miles before ending in Coimbatore, Tamil
Nadu, on 14 February. ![]()
The road show inspires public support for polio eradication in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh,
India | |
RISING TO THE
CHALLENGE | |
Rotary's
US$200 Million Challenge totals* | |
US$204M | |
*As of 24 February 2012 |
|
Polio Facts & Figures |
|
Polio Facts & Figures | | Area Number of cases in 2012 |
| Afghanistan |
4 | | India |
0 | | Nigeria |
2 | | Pakistan |
11 | | Non-endemic countries |
1 | | Total worldwide |
18 | | (Data as of 21 February/World Health Organization) |
For the latest on the number of polio cases, progress reports on polio-endemic
countries, and other information, go to www.polioeradication.org. |
|
Tools and Resources |
Clubs and districts can order the
following tools and resources online at shop.rotary.org, or
from Publications Order Services (e-mail: shop....@rotary.org, tel.: 847-866-4600; fax: 847-866-3276),
or from their local international office. -
Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge
DVD
(985) provides an overview of Rotary's continuing efforts to eradicate polio and the fundraising initiative to match the Gates
Foundation grants. (US$15) - Rotary's US$200
Million Challenge Brochure (986) describes Rotary's commitment to finish polio and encourages support for the challenge. (Free)
-
Amazing Stories of Polio! (976) is a 16-page
illustrated history of the disease and the eradication effort. ($0.75)
- PolioPlus Headliner Kit (Web only)
contains a sample news feature, a press release, an opinion piece, and a
letter to the editor, all easily adaptable to local communities to promote global polio eradication. - Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge Poster (987) encourages participation in
the challenge. Suitable for display at meetings, fundraisers, and other events. (Free, limit two per order)
- End Polio Now Pins (988) help raise awareness of the eradication effort.
(Available in lots of 100 for $50)
- Expanded "This Close" resources are available to help publicize
Rotary's polio eradication efforts.
- Make your own "This Close" ad to show your support for ending
polio.
To donate directly to Rotary's challenge, go to www.rotary.org/endpolio.
Enroll in The Rotary
Foundation’s recurring giving program, Rotary Direct, and
save time, money, and lives through your generous contributions. Select an amount, frequency (monthly, quarterly or annually), and contribution method
that is convenient for you. You may even direct your contributions to PolioPlus to support The Challenge.
Enrollment is integrated with the
Foundation’s secure online contribution system and is
currently available in the following currencies: AUD, CAD, CHF, DKK, EUR, GBP, JPY, NZD, NOK, SEK, USD, ZAR.
Click here to find fundraising
tips and ideas.
Join The Rotary Foundation's End Polio Now cause page on Facebook. Make a donation to support polio eradication, invite
others to be part of the cause, and keep track of how many people you've recruited.
|
Text POLIO to
contribute US$5 | |
Rotarians and non-Rotarians in the United States
can help support polio eradication by texting POLIO to 90999. | |
A one-time donation of $5 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. You
will also receive up to 1 message per day from The Rotary Foundation Alerts. Message and data rates may apply. All charges are billed by and payable
to your mobile service provider. Service is available on most carriers. Donations are collected for the benefit of The Rotary Foundation by the mGive
Foundation and subject to the terms found at www.mGive.com/A. To unsubscribe text STOP to 90999, for help text
HELP to 90999. Privacy Policy http://mgive.com/PrivacyPolicy.aspx. |
|
