THE $200 MILLION CHALLENGE
The world has an enemy that is faceless, formless, odorless and travels without a passport or luggage. We know she has paid a visit by the crippled and disabled children and adults who she leaves in her path. Polio is her name.
In 1985, Rotary International decided to take on this enemy and once and for all eliminate this disease from our globe. We formed alliances with the government, the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disearse Control and UNICEF. Pooling our resources and talents, we make a very worthy fighter. Since 1985, we have diminished the disease from being prevalent in 125 countries to being contained to four countries: Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
As you know, Rotary’s credibility gained the trust of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and now we have the challenge of matching $200 million of it.
To meet this challenge, Rotary clubs worldwide are asked to contribute $2,000 per year for the next three Rotary years (2009-2010, 2010-2011, 2011-2012).
Polio Awareness Week will be February 21-28, 2010 and your club is being asked to hold a fundraiser. Use your imaginations. Dust off your recipes for spaghetti suppers and pancake breakfasts. Be bold and approach local businesses, hospitals, pediatricians and medical researchers. Also, please help us find polio survivors who are better able to state our case than we are.
In the next issue of the Governor’s newsletter, we will speak more about a District fundraiser.
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