MW Rotary helping to end polio
Posted by Harris Brooks
Mineral Wells Index, Monday, October 19, 2009
News release prepared by Rotarian Harris Brooks and sent to Mineral Wells Index for publishing.
Oct. 24 marks World Polio Day
Rotary International has helped champion the eradication of polio for over 20 years. RI has partnered with the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF and the Gates Foundation to have a "Polio-Free World."
In January, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation pledged a grant of $355 million to the polio eradication campaign. RI and Rotarians have pledged to match the Gates' grant by raising an additional $200 million, which must be completed by June 30, 2012.
"The local Rotary Club of Mineral Wells has pledged to raise funds for the next three years to assist in the efforts," said Rotarian Harris Brooks. "Please help your local Rotarians through their community efforts and fundraising."
Polio is a contagious, historically devastating disease that was virtually eliminated from the U.S. in 1979 and the Western hemisphere in 1991. Although polio has plagued humans since ancient times, its most extensive outbreak occurred in the first half of the 1900s before the vaccination, created by Jonas Salk, became widely available in 1955.
Many of the younger generations have never experienced this disease, nor have they ever known anyone with polio. However, if you lived in the 1940s-1960s, you probably remember an acute fear of the virus, iron lungs, polio wards, and parents keeping you homebound for fear of its contagious nature.
Although polio is 99 percent eradicated across the globe, it still exists in four (4) developing countries today: Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. If it is not completely defeated, polio could come back and be an even stronger strain.
How to Help
You can help the Mineral Wells Rotary Club attain its goal to raise monies to help end polio worldwide by supporting its various community fundraisers. You can also go to http://www.rotary.org/ click the "Contribute" button, then click the "PolioPlus Fund" link.
"The local Rotary Club of Mineral Wells has pledged to raise funds for the next three years to assist in the efforts," said Rotarian Harris Brooks. "Please help your local Rotarians through their community efforts and fundraising."
Polio is a contagious, historically devastating disease that was virtually eliminated from the U.S. in 1979 and the Western hemisphere in 1991. Although polio has plagued humans since ancient times, its most extensive outbreak occurred in the first half of the 1900s before the vaccination, created by Jonas Salk, became widely available in 1955.
Many of the younger generations have never experienced this disease, nor have they ever known anyone with polio. However, if you lived in the 1940s-1960s, you probably remember an acute fear of the virus, iron lungs, polio wards, and parents keeping you homebound for fear of its contagious nature.
Although polio is 99 percent eradicated across the globe, it still exists in four (4) developing countries today: Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. If it is not completely defeated, polio could come back and be an even stronger strain.
How to Help
You can help the Mineral Wells Rotary Club attain its goal to raise monies to help end polio worldwide by supporting its various community fundraisers. You can also go to http://www.rotary.org/ click the "Contribute" button, then click the "PolioPlus Fund" link.