On December 9, 2013, District Governor Pat Perry visited our Club as part of her club visitations.
During her visit, she presented the Club and Past President Lou McNamara with the news and a banner recognizing our Club as being the third in the District per capita in support of the Rotary Foundation for the Rotary year 2012-2013, an impressive accomplishment for a club our size.
Pat indicated for a club that was chartered in 1977, a total of $54,300 has been contributed by us to the Foundation...
At the beginning of the meeting, Assistant District Governor Beverly Lyons introduced District Governor Pat to the Sussex Club Members.
Pat joined Rotary in Newcastle, NB, in 1999 and has served as District Public Image Coordinator and is a Paul Harris Fellow. The Miramichi business community recognized her for her contribution and service. Over her 40 years in the financial sector, Pat has worked with three different bank institutions.
Pat indicated that a significant event occurred in Rotary in 1985 when Rotary announced it would assist in eradicating Polio world wide. In 2007 Rotary engaged a substantial partner in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to help in our Polio fight. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation would donate $100 million, if Rotary International could raise $200 million over three years. Once the original goal of $200 million was achieved, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation made a second contribution of $255 million, and they continue to be partners in the Polio effort to this day.
On January 1, 2012, India was declared Polio free. An achievement that was not believed possible. Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria remain the only three countries with ongoing efforts to eradicate Polio.
The World Health Organization believes there are five years left in the fight at an estimated $5.5 Billion in funding necessary to complete this fight.
Past President Robert Kimball thanked District Governor Pat.