ROTARY WALK WITH US TO END POLIO
Following a very successful event in 2020 Rotarians, friends and the community are encouraged once again to take action from October 1st to 31st to raise awareness, funds, and support to end poliomyelitis, a vaccine-preventable disease that still threatens the children of the world today.
As a founding partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Rotary worldwide has helped to reduce polio cases from an average of 1000 cases per day in 1987 to a total of only 140 cases in 2020, a 99.9% reduction. It is crucial to eliminate polio from Afghanistan and Pakistan, the last two countries where it remains endemic. We must also keep all other countries polio-free. If eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyse as many as 200,000 children each year.
Rotary and its partners are committed to eliminating poliomyelitis completely from the world. Smallpox is the only other disease ever completely eradicated. Funds are still needed to continue immunization and surveillance efforts.
The Rotary Walk With Us campaign throughout October is a fun way to raise awareness and funds to End Polio Now. Using Rotary’s friendly website (www.rotarywalkwithus.org), you can register to walk and set distance and fundraising goals. Alternatively, you can donate to someone who is walking. For the walkers the total distance you have set for the month is accumulated over the entire month of October. So, you can walk when, where and with whom you want in a COVID safe way. Each walk is logged on the website along with all donations. It’s easy.
All donations through Rotary will be matched 2 to 1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation who are partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. All donations over $2.00 are tax deductable. Individuals, teams and Rotary clubs will be recognised and credited for their donations by The Australian Rotary Foundation Trust.
The results of the 2020 event exceeded all expectations. People registered from across Australia and the world. This resulted in raising over $122,000 for the End Polio campaign. The added benefit was the positive effect on physical and mental health by providing a focus for those living with COVID restrictions.
Register to walk and donate at www.rotarywalkwithus.org
This website has more information on the event and the global program to eradicate Polio.
Donate today and be a part of the countdown to history. With your help we can end Polio for good.