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PHOTO: Members of the Rotary Club of Brunswick wore red, and red pins, to the Oct. 24 meeting to mark World Polio Day. (Brunswick Rotary photo)
BRUNSWICK – The Rotary Club of Brunswick joined Rotary Clubs around the world on Oct. 24 to raise awareness for the fight against polio, kicking off the club’s year-long End Polio Now Campaign to raise awareness of the disease, as well as money to fight it.
Oct. 24 is special because it marks the birthday of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a polio vaccine. Until 2022, there had not been a reported case of polio in the United States for more than 30 years. The Rotary Club said it is more important now than ever to help Rotary with its goal to eradicate polio around the world. Global organizations urge parents and guardians to vaccinate their children against this disease, as there is no other treatment than vaccination.
Support has been provided to the Rotary effort by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is matching money raised by Rotarians in the End Polio Now campaign.
According to Rotary International, at the end of the 1960s, more than 350,000 individuals were paralyzed by polio every year. Rotary and its partners have reduced the incidence of polio by 99.9 %. Wild polio virus remains endemic in only two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan. Smallpox is the only human disease ever eradicated, and it is Rotary’s goal to make polio the second.
“We are passionate about Rotary’s fight against polio, and want to show our community that we are willing to work hard to raise the funds to help end polio, but also have some fun while doing it,” said Claudia Frost, a Brunswick Rotarian and district governor.
Visit brunswickmainerotary.org for more information.
