It’s certainly been a big couple of weeks.

Approx. 100 Rotarians turned up and farewelled Andrew Suggett at Christ Church Warrnambool on Wednesday 17^th.  During the Service, we heard how Andrew was baptised, confirmed and later married in his church. Andrew was also an alter boy, Father Scott shared with us that the Suggett name is carved in one of the pews where the alter boys would sit. Father Scott also shared with us the storey of when Andrew and his brother Colin were holding the brass collection plate, standing and waiting for their father to bring forward the parishioners Offertory, The boys realised the sun coming through the west stained glass windows could be reflected from the surface of the brass collection plate and into the eyes of their father who immediately dropped the offertory onto the timber floor.

 

At the conclusion of the service, Rotarians and Inner wheel ladies formed a guard of honour as a show of respect for Andrew.

 

Andrew was a wealth of Rotary knowledge, experience and a mentor to many. He will be missed by all of us at The Rotary Club of Warrnambool Daybreak.

 

As we know, Andrew was very supportive of the Warrnambool Parkinson’s Support Group.

Betty has asked that if anyone would like to contribute a donation in memory of Andrew then please donate to, 

BSB: 325 185

Account No. 0593 4880                 

 

Guest Speaker on April 17^th was Barb Sheehan.

Barb is the District 9780 Environmental & Sustainability Chair. Barb bought to our meeting an enthusiastic attitude. Very passionate about the environment and sustainable practices, the room was captivated with Barbs presentation. Barb took the opportunity to present to Daybreak our Bronze certificate alongside our Silver certificate that we were presented with at District Conference.

Our club Environmental Champion Liza McCosh accepted the certificates on Daybreaks behalf, well done Liza, you have certainly been at the forefront and a driver for Daybreak on the Environmental Committee for 2023-24.

TOGETHER, WE END POLIO

 

In 1988, the World Health Assembly passed a resolution to eradicate polio, leading to the establishment of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). As a result, partners including CDC are working together to ensure that every child receives several doses of polio vaccine.

 

From 12 cases of wild poliovirus every 15 minutes in 1988 to 12 cases total in 2023, mass immunization campaigns led by Rotary and its Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners have reduced the incidence of polio by 99.9% worldwide over the past 35 years.

Through the science of immunization, over 20 million children have been prevented from becoming paralyzed by polio. That’s why as we approach World Immunization Week at the end of April, as a Rotary member, I am pleased to recognize this progress as proof that vaccines work.

However, polio anywhere is a threat everywhere, and I ask everyone to help us finish the job and end polio for good to ensure that this paralyzing disease does not return to polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk.

From encouraging vaccine acceptance, to sharing factual vaccination information, to calling on elected officials to fund polio eradication efforts, there are so many ways in which we can each support immunization as the foundation of a polio-free world. Let’s all do our part to prevent polio outbreaks in our own communities and continue the march toward ending polio for good. 

We have an opportunity to make history by ending only the second human disease after smallpox, and the time for action is now--visit endpolio.org to learn more about how you can get involved.

 

Today, the two countries of focus are Afghanistan and Pakistan as they have never stopped transmission of endemic wild poliovirus.  The countries are working to deliver vaccination services to their people, to carry out sensitive disease surveillance and to cooperate to immunize migrating populations across their common border. GPEI also supports countries that experience or are vulnerable to the rise of vaccine-derived polio viruses (VDPVs), which only occur when polio vaccination rates are low. When VDPV cases occur, high levels of vaccination, robust surveillance, and rapid outbreak response are critical.