Hillsboro Rotary Club announces Polio Awareness Campaign

For 20 years, Rotary Clubs have remained determined to do whatever is necessary to achieve a world free of the crippling disease polio. Recognizing this commitment – as well as Rotary's important role as a spearheading partner in the Global Polio Eradication initiative – the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recently awarded Rotary a $250 million challenge grant, which Rotary will match with an additional $100 million.

Although polio epidemics may be a  distant memory in most of the developed world – the last case of naturally occurring polio in the U. S. occurred in 1979, and cases have been reduced by 99 percent worldwide – it still threatens children in parts of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.  But for as little as 60 cents worth of oral polio vaccine, a child can be protected for life.  However, a major funding gap now faces the polio eradication initiative.  Twenty years of steady progress is at stake, and polio could stage a dangerous comeback unless additional resources are secured, which is why Rotary and the Gates Foundation have forged this historic funding agreement.

Since launching its landmark PolioPlus program in 1985, Rotary, an international humanitarian service organization, already has contributed more that $700 million to the cause, in addition to countless volunteer hours logged by Rotary club members worldwide.  With that kind of track record, Rotary readily accepted the funding challenge from the Gates Foundation.  Rotary's membership of 1.2 million men and women – representing 33,00 clubs in more than 200 countries – embraced the effort by digging deeper into their own pockets, planning special fundraisers, and rallying community support.  

Locally, the Hillsboro Rotary club has placed posters, brochures and booklets about Polio and the challenge grant around the Hillsboro area.  Look for this information in area libraries and businesses. There are also small donation boxes for pennies and loose change.  All funds collected will be divided equally – half going to the Challenge grant and half to the Highland County Society for Children and Adult, a local Hillsboro and Greenfield Rotary charity benefiting local families.

To learn more on how you can participate in this historic opportunity to end polio once and for all, please visit http://www.rotary.org/endpolio or contact a local Rotary Club member.  

For 20 years, Rotary Clubs have remained determined to do whatever is necessary to achieve a world free of the crippling disease polio. Recognizing this commitment – as well as Rotary's important role as a spearheading partner in the Global Polio Eradication initiative – the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation recently awarded Rotary a $250 million challenge grant, which Rotary will match with an additional $100 million.

Although polio epidemics may be a  distant memory in most of the developed world – the last case of naturally occurring polio in the U. S. occurred in 1979, and cases have been reduced by 99 percent worldwide – it still threatens children in parts of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.  But for as little as 60 cents worth of oral polio vaccine, a child can be protected for life.  However, a major funding gap now faces the polio eradication initiative.  Twenty years of steady progress is at stake, and polio could stage a dangerous comeback unless additional resources are secured, which is why Rotary and the Gates Foundation have forged this historic funding agreement.

Since launching its landmark PolioPlus program in 1985, Rotary, an international humanitarian service organization, already has contributed more that $700 million to the cause, in addition to countless volunteer hours logged by Rotary club members worldwide.  With that kind of track record, Rotary readily accepted the funding challenge from the Gates Foundation.  Rotary's membership of 1.2 million men and women – representing 33,00 clubs in more than 200 countries – embraced the effort by digging deeper into their own pockets, planning special fundraisers, and rallying community support.  

Locally, the Hillsboro Rotary club has placed posters, brochures and booklets about Polio and the challenge grant around the Hillsboro area.  Look for this information in area libraries and businesses. There are also small donation boxes for pennies and loose change.  All funds collected will be divided equally – half going to the Challenge grant and half to the Highland County Society for Children and Adult, a local Hillsboro and Greenfield Rotary charity benefiting local families.

To learn more on how you can participate in this historic opportunity to end polio once and for all, please visit http://www.rotary.org/endpolio or contact a local Rotary Club member.