Rotarians have raised US$185 million for Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge
to help underwrite the cost of ending polio around the world. Although
the challenge runs through 30 June, it is vital that fundraising efforts
continue until the disease is finished. (click below to read more)
Many clubs are enlisting the support of their communities.
Rotarians in Australia and New Zealand, in cooperation with 20th Century
Fox, held a benefit screening of the movie Conviction at 36
theaters in February, netting $54,000 for Rotary’s challenge. A fashion
show sponsored by the Rotary Club of Fremont Warm Springs Sunrise,
California, USA, garnered more than $52,000 in March. And in a weeklong
project organized by the Rotary Club of Pondicherry-Cosmos, Pondicherry,
India, 3,000 students at Petit Seminaire Higher Secondary School raised
$25,000.
Walking in Tanzania to end polio
More than 320 Rotarians and friends of Rotary walked through Moshi,
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, in June, raising about $38,000 and boosting
awareness of the disease. A marching band, polio surviors, and Rotarians
wearing red End Polio Now T-shirts led the walk, organized by the
Rotary Club of Moshi and several others.
Reginald Mengi, founder and executive chair of IPP Group, one of
the largest conglomerates in East Africa, called on businesses to help
eradicate polio. Leading by example, Mengi contributed $32,000 to the
event.
"This is called corporate social responsibility," he said. "You must give back to the community."
Both Mengi and Stephen Mwanje, 2010-11 governor of District 9200,
encouraged parents to have their children immunized against polio.
"We must be aware and take all measures, since the disease can spread here within a short period of time," Mwanje said.
Rotarians ride in Pennsylvania
District 7370 (Pennsylvania, USA) sponsored a four-day, 330-mile
bicycle tour of all 34 of its communities. Rotarians and friends donated
at least $25 each to ride in the June event, called Rotary Pedals Out
Polio.
"Most people made donations online, as 'virtual' riders," said Past
District Governor Jeff Coup, who came up with the idea for the tour and
has served as the district's PolioPlus subcommittee chair since the
program began in 1985. "We also had radio and a lot of newspaper
coverage all through the district. Some clubs arranged for police
escorts for us as we entered or left town. One arranged a PolioPlus
billboard on our route."
The fundraiser netted more than $21,000 for Rotary's challenge. Key
to its success, said Coup, was "a great district committee that did the
publicity, did a website with all the information, processed all the
donations," and handled other tasks. "The event really reawakened
awareness of the polio eradication cause in our district among Rotarians
and the general public."
Plan for World Polio Day
It’s not too early to plan for World Polio Day, 24 October, an
excellent opportunity for your club and district to support the global
effort to eradicate the disease.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Create your own "This Close" ad and make it your Facebook profile photo.
- Host a walk, run, or bikeathon and send out a press release about the event. Download a sample release. Download a World Polio Day Proclamation.
- Make a donation for polio eradication.
- Place an op-ed about polio in your local newspaper. See a sample.
For more examples of polio eradication fundraisers and other news about Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge, subscribe to the End Polio Now newsletter.
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