ROTARY RAISES FUNDS FOR POLIO ERADICATION
The Emporium Rotary Club celebrated “World’s Greatest Meal” October 24th to raise money for the eradication of polio. Rotarians hosted a meal for the club, and members donated to Polio Plus.
Poliomyelitis (Polio) attacks the nervous system and can cause paralysis in hours. The virus is spread person to person-typically by contaminated water. Polio mainly affects children under 5 (but any age can contract), there is no cure, but polio is preventable with a vaccine. Only 2 countries remain endemic with wild poliovirus (Pakistan & Afghanistan). Rotary has reduced cases by 99.9% since 1988.
Along with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988, Rotarians have contributed $2.2 billion, countless volunteer hours and have protected nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this devastating disease. Polio funds raised are also matched 2-1 by Bill and Melinda Gates Fund. Today, 19 million people who would otherwise be paralyzed are walking and 1.5 million people who would otherwise have died are alive. If eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year
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