Rotary members in Hawkesbury, Ontario are taking action in honour of World Polio Day to raise awareness, funds, and support to end polio, a vaccine-preventable disease that still threatens children in parts of the world today.
On October 24, these members are joining Rotarians around the world to show our support for World Polio Day. As part of their support, the Rotary Club of Hawkesbury will match all donations to a final total of $500. Donations can be made by etransfer to [email protected] or PO Box 73, Hawkesbury, ON K6A 2R4.
Polio anywhere is a threat everywhere, and Rotary members from Hawkesbury Ontario have long worked to end the paralyzing virus, which will be only the second human disease ever to be eradicated. Over the years they have raised thousands of dollars to help eradicate polio.
Rotary has contributed more than US$2.7 billion to fight polio and countless volunteer hours since launching its PolioPlus program in 1985. In 1988, Rotary joined in partnership with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to form the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. The Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, later joined. When the initiative launched, there were 350,000 cases of polio every year. Today, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99.9 per cent.
To sustain this progress and continue to reach every child with the polio vaccine, Rotary has committed to raising US$50 million each year to support global polio eradication efforts. The Gates Foundation has pledged to match that 2-to-1 for a total yearly contribution of US$150 million.
About Rotary
Rotary brings together a global network of community leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. We connect 1.4 million members from more than 46,000 Rotary clubs across the world. Their service improves lives both locally and internationally, from helping those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world.
Visit Rotary.org and endpolio.org for more about Rotary and its efforts to eradicate polio.
