October 24 is World Polio Day, a day to recognize the extraordinary progress made towards eradicating polio and to celebrate the people and organizations working tirelessly to ensure no child ever has to suffer from this preventable disease again.
For Rotary members around the world, World Polio Day is a reminder of what we can accomplish when we work together towards a common goal.
More Than 40 Years of Making a Difference
In 1985, Rotary International launched PolioPlus, making the eradication of polio one of its most ambitious humanitarian commitments.
At the time, polio paralysed an estimated 350,000 children every year across more than 125 countries. Today, thanks to the work of Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, wild poliovirus remains endemic in just two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Since 1988, wild polio cases have declined by more than 99.9%, and an estimated 20 million people are walking today who otherwise would have been paralysed by polio.
Rotary members have contributed billions of dollars and countless volunteer hours to support vaccination campaigns, disease surveillance, and community education.
But the job isn't finished.
As long as polio exists anywhere in the world, children everywhere remain at risk. That's why Rotary continues its commitment to End Polio Now.
Halifax Rotary Clubs Raise a Pint for Polio!
Here in Halifax, we're doing our part!
On Monday, October 19, the Rotary Club of Halifax Harbour joined forces with fellow Halifax-area Rotary clubs to host our annual Pints for Polio fundraiser at Celtic Corner in Dartmouth.
And what a success it was!
Thanks to the incredible support of our community, fellow Rotarians, volunteers, and local businesses, the event was a tremendous success.
From burger-and-beer ticket sales to our popular 50/50 draw and silent auction, the enthusiasm and generosity throughout the evening demonstrated what makes our Rotary community so special.
A special thank you to Celtic Corner, Moosehead Brewery, Enterprise Law Group, our auction donors, and everyone who helped organize, promote, and support the event.
We're still finalizing the numbers and look forward to sharing the total funds raised once the results are available.
Your Support Goes Even Further
One of the remarkable things about supporting Rotary's polio eradication efforts is the impact of every donation.
Thanks to a partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, donations to Rotary's PolioPlus Fund are matched 2-to-1, tripling the impact of contributions towards the global effort to end polio.
That means every dollar raised through events like Pints for Polio can make an even greater difference in protecting children around the world.
We're This Close!
The eradication of polio would be only the second time in human history that a human disease has been eradicated, following smallpox.
It's an extraordinary goal, and one that Rotary members have been working towards for more than four decades.
On this World Polio Day, we celebrate how far we've come, thank everyone who has contributed to this remarkable effort, and renew our commitment to finishing the job.
Together, we can make polio history.
🌍 Learn more or support the cause: End Polio Now
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