Sunrise Rotary invites you to help with World Polio Day

The Coeur d'Alene Sunrise Rotary Club and its members proudly support Rotary International's PolioPlus campaign to eradicate polio worldwide.

Rotary's PolioPlus program was the first initiative to tackle global polio eradication by vaccinating children on a massive scale. As a core partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Rotary focuses on advocacy, fundraising, volunteer recruitment, and awareness-building.

When Rotary and its partners formed the GPEI in 1988, there were 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries every year. Today, we have reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent, and just two countries continue to report cases of wild poliovirus: Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Rotary has committed to raising $50 million per year for polio eradication. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match that 2-to-1, for a total commitment of $150 million each year. These funds provide much-needed operational support, medical workers, laboratory equipment, and educational materials. Governments, corporations, and private donors all play a crucial role in funding.

October 24th is World Polio Day. Please join us in the fight to end polio worldwide. Donate at endpolio.org

Coeur d'Alene Sunrise Rotary meets Tuesdays at 7 a.m. at the Coeur d'Alene Resort. Visitors are welcome.