Posted by Richard L. Roberts
Dowdy explained that when Rotary was founded in 1905, it was to be one Club only and no philanthropy. That changed quickly with the formation of the second club in San Francisco quickly followed by others in the US and in the world. In 1916, Arch Klumpf asked why he would want to join a club that doesn't do anything; it was suggested that he join and make a change. He joined during the time the world was in turmoil and needed help. He formed the Rotary Foundation whose mission would be to help others throughout the world; his club had $26.50 left over at the end of the year and they gave it to Arch as the first contribution to the Foundation. Later, their first project was to donate $500 to the Crippled Children's Society, later changed to March of Dimes. Remember inserting dimes into a slot in a cardboard sheet and taking it back to school? The Foundation was noted for initiating benefit programs, such as the March of Dimes, with start up funding and then turning it over to the organization to continue with their work.
In the early eighties, a Philippines District Governor related the story of the youth in his District that were crippled with the terrible disease, polio. About the same time, polio vaccine was developed. The Foundation gave the District Governor a matching grant to vaccinate children against polio. The result was a significant reduction of polio in his District. In 1985, Rotary International/Foundation decided that they would undertake a program to eradicate the disease throughout the world; 350,000 cases each year. In partnership with many other organizations including the World Health Organization, UNICEF and recently the Gates Foundation, the program, over the last 25 years, worldwide, the effort has caused the reduction of cases of polio to less than 1000 per year; polio is now found in remote areas in only four countries: Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Nigeria (PAIN). Our District 5240 has for many years been a top contributor, an accomplishment for which Dowdy takes pride and compliments all Rotarians.
Dowdy was followed by a slide presentation by one of our members who needs no introduction: Scott Nichols. Two years ago, or so, Scott was sponsored by the Club to take part in a Rotary team polio vaccination program in a remote area in Nigeria, a Muslim area; some religious and tribal leaders were opposed to vaccines which caused the Rotary team some difficulty. The slide show depicted the squalor like conditions of the country in this area. Trash heaps, crippled and maimed children and adults, open sewage trenches, hardly habitable housing, filthy and unsanitary health clinics; a poor and neglected area. Pictures of happy, smiling children at play at receiving the polio vaccine were also included. It was tough duty but Scott gathered his strengths and commitments together and volunteered at every opportunity to help out. He said the positive elements were the kids, who were suspicious at first, but gaining confidence over Scott's winning grin, gave him big smiles and shared things with him. Scott wound up being over tired, sick, dehydrated, bad food/water, missed his wife, Sandy, and generally uncomfortable; but he continued the good fight and at the end of the trip he said he was truly happy that this life experience was offered to him; it changed his thinking and he now focuses on service to others more than before. He said that the polio eradication program is a good example of the good work done by Rotary Foundation and urged members to consider becoming Paul Harris Fellows; less than $3 per day for a year would get you there. Scott has a diary of his trip available to anyone who would like to read it. It is worth the read. Contact: 481-5599 or sjn1@aol.com