Polio Happenings

Posted by Linda Robertson, EPNC 28W
Rotary Club Celebrates 100th Anniversary with a $100,000.00 gift to Polio
 
The Rotary Club of Wayne in Wayne Michigan is celebrating its 100th Anniversary by donating $33,000.00 to PolioPlus. With the 2:1 match from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation their gift will become $100,000.00. The Wayne Rotary Club was chartered on January 1, 2022. EPNC Neil McBeth, was talking with PDGs David Carpenter and Rick Canon from District 6400 when they shared this wonderful news about the Rotary Club of Wayne.
The entire community is celebrating the 100th Anniversary. Congratulations are displayed in lights by local businesses including the local police.
 
A gift to PolioPlus is such an appropriate way to acknowledge a Rotary Anniversary. The eradication of Polio will be Rotary’s legacy and the legacy of every Rotarian that has contributed financially to help fulfill the promise of a Polio Free World.
Team Marco Raise $3,270.00 for PolioPlus
 
Rotarian Glenn Hagen and his 16-year-old dog Marco walked 124 km over several days in February to raise awareness for polio in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Anyone that has been in Saskatchewan in the winter will know that some of those days would have been very challenging!
 
Glenn’s Rotary Club of Moose Jaw Wakamow received donations of $1,090. Those donations when matched 2:1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates will contribute $3,270.00 for polio eradication.
Marco did so much to raise awareness in the city of 34,000 that he was made an Honorary Member of the Rotary Club.
 
Rotary Glenn was interviewed by local media and shared the story of Rotary’s promise to eradicate polio and the good news that only 5 cases of the wild polio virus were recorded in 2021.  He also emphasized that we are at a critical point in reaching our goal.
 
PDG Pat Chernesky and District 5550 PolioPlus Chair said, “Glenn is a former Mayor of Moose Jaw and a former MLA and Speaker in the Saskatchewan Legislator. He’s and just an excellent ambassador for Polio.” 
 
Rotary International has an expectation that every club will donate a minimum of $1500.00 each year to PolioPlus.  Thanks to the Marco Team, the Rotary Club of Moose Jaw Wakamow will definitely reach their minimum goal.