World Polio Day Sample Press Release

ROTARY CLUB of NEWS RELEASE Niagara-on-the-Lake www.rotary.org

CONTACT: Patrick MacNeill, International Director FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 905 468 3482

World Polio Week: Rotary Club of Niagara-on-the-Lake fights to end polio worldwide

In honor of World Polio Week, which starts on 24 October, the Rotary Club of Niagara-on the-Lake is holding a “Walk to END POLIO NOW” campaign at Niagara-on the-Lake’s new Community Centre, as part of Rotary’s 26-year mission to eradicate the crippling childhood disease polio.

Members of the public are invited to donate to the campaign at the Walking Track throughout the week, and/or they can sponsor members of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Rotary Club who will be walking the track at lunchtime on Tuesday, 25th October.

Since 1999, the Rotary Club of Niagara-on-the-Lake has donated over $26,000 to the END POLIO NOW campaign.

As part of Rotary’s most recent campaign to match a US$355 million challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with $200 million by June 2012, the humanitarian service organization is close to reaching its goal, with more than US$180 million raised to date. The funding will provide critical support to polio eradication activities in parts of Africa and South Asia.

Since 1985, Rotary has contributed more than $1 billion and countless volunteer hours to the protection of more than two billion children in 122 countries. The disease remains endemic in four countries -- Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan -- although other countries remain at risk for imported cases.

Ruth Delaat, a member of our club who travelled to India in 2004 to take part in a mass vaccination whereby literally hundreds of millions of children were vaccinated against polio in one week, describes her experience:

“Most of the mothers and children were prepared for us. We would put two of the drop's on their tongues and give them a treat and mark their hand, so the next Rotary group applying the meds. would know the children had already received their drops. A few times the mother's would ask us to come back when their husbands were not at home. There is still a lack of trust and lack of education in understanding the importance of the vaccines and how lives can be saved. There were radio stations and large billboards with famous Indian stars speaking in their various languages and dialect how important the medicine is for the children. But it is a challenge because still some people cannot read or afford radio or television to become aware of the Polio eradication program especially out in the rural areas. I experienced sensory over-load. The cross-section of wealth and poverty. The wonderful aromas of spices and incense and then the smells of outdoor latrines. The kindness and generosity of the people and the beauty and trust of the young malnourished children was at times overwhelming. It is a wonderful program to see in operation and the positive effects it has. It really does give a Mother and Father and their children hope and a chance of a better life.” In January of 2006, another Niagara-on-the-Lake Rotarian, Dr. Bill Charnetski and his wife Emily travelled to Agra, in northern India to participate in the Country's National Immunization Day. The goal was that on January 15, teams consisting of local health-clinic workers and Rotarians would administrate 2 drops of Sabin to every child 5 years and younger. After witnessing first hand, the effect polio paralysis has on afflicted individuals and their families, Bill and Emily remain fully committed to Global Polio Eradication and hope to take part in a least one more Polio Immunization venture in the near future.

A highly infectious disease, polio causes paralysis and is sometimes fatal. As there is no cure, the best protection is prevention. For as little as US 60 cents worth of vaccine, a child can be protected against this crippling disease for life. After an international investment of more than US$8 billion, and the successful engagement of over 200 countries and 20 million volunteers, polio could be the first human disease of the 21st century to be eradicated.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is spearheaded by the World Health Organization, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). It includes the support of governments and other private sector donors.

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide to provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. It is comprised of 1.2 million members working in more than 34,000 clubs in 200 countries and geographic regions.

A former Lord Mayor of Niagara-on-the-Lake, the late Gerry Wooll, was one of the Ontario champions of the Rotary Polio Eradication Campaign when it was first started in 1985.

The Rotary Club of Niagara-on-the-Lake invites the public to support the polio eradication initiative by visiting www.rotary.org/endpolio or by contributing at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Community Centre during World Polio Week (Monday 24th Oct. to Friday 28th Oct. 2011).

For further information visit, www.rotary.org or www.polioeradication.org.