To celebrate World Polio Day – October 24
‘Enjoy a bowl of soup and donate $10 towards END POLIO NOW’ to celebrate World Polio Day on October 24’!
That’s the special request from RI Director Noel Trevaskis as Rotary International edges ever closer to its thirty year goal of eradicating polio from our world.
Director Noel emphasises that the dwindling number of polio cases around the world – just NINE so far this year – calls for a genuine celebration by Rotary Clubs and Rotarians to mark this red letter day.
‘When we launched the amazing PolioPlus campaign in 1985/86, there were 350,000 cases of Polio in 125 countries. This number has dropped significantly in recent years – 359 in 2014, 74 in 2015, 37 in 2016 – and the wild virus is now circulating in just three countries … Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan.’
Rotary clubs are urged to involve community organisations and members in their celebrations. To list just a few ideas -
- Walkathons and Swimathons
- School bicycle marathons
- Music concerts, talent quests, Battle of the Bands sessions in schools
- Main street/railways station FREE barbecues with high impact signage and bucket collection points.
- ‘Paint a Pinkie’ for a gold coin in infant schools and primary schools.
- Odd sock/crazy shirt days
However, the ‘Soup Saver Meal’ requires real commitment from Rotarians at their regular meetings and create good media opportunities if politicians and community leaders are involved.
Concept is simple … members agree to pay $15 for a bowl of soup and bread roll. Five dollars should cover the cost and $10 goes into the Club END POLIO NOW fund.
For added value, clubs may negotiate with leading restaurants to provide the soup in return for community publicity and media coverage.
IF adopted by every Rotary Club in Australia and New Zealand, the concept could raise as much as $750,000!
Plans are in hand to encourage a similar ‘saver meal’ concept during the week of Rotary’s birthday - February 23 next. However, on that occasion, it will be a coffee and birthday cake meal – involving local High School home science classes to bake giant birthday cakes.
Director Noel said that a strong commitment to fund raising was vital to ensure successful completion of the Polio Eradication Campaign.
‘Costs are heavy. For example, there are 363 permanent transit teams working 19 cross points on the Pakistan/Afghan border; some 38 million children under five have been targeted in recent National Immunisation Days in Pakistan – and that program involved 250,000 vaccinators!’ he concluded.
PDG Bob Aitken AM
Rotary Club of Lower Blue Mountains
