Rotary Clubs Unite to Fight Polio

For 26 hours, Southern California residents united in the fight against polio. Gathering Saturday, Oct. 26 and walking through Sunday, Oct. 27 at San Bernardino’s Little League Western regional headquarters near the I-215 freeway, many participated in the first time walk-a-thon hosted by Rotary International Districts 5330 and 5300, which includes local Rotary Clubs within the Inland Empire, with the goal of raising awareness and funding in the fight against polio. The eventual goal is to eradicate the disease, which often strikes children under five, shared Rotary District 5330 member Thom Salisbury. “Polio is still out there, and it’s still affecting children. We want to make [polio] the second disease that has been completely wiped from the face of the earth,” said Salisbury. Rotary, a humanitarian service organization, now has almost 34,000 clubs worldwide. In 1985, Rotary committed to the fight against polio and has since contributed $1.2 billion to these efforts. According to the Wikipedia page on the disease, polio infections trace back prehistorically, though major polio epidemics were unknown until the turn of the 20th century. Localized paralytic polio epidemics began to appear in Europe and the United States around the 1890s; by 1907, approximately 25,000 cases of polio were reported in New York City. The disease reached its peak in the 1940s and ’50s, where it “would paralyze or kill over half a million people worldwide every year,” the Wikipedia page reads. Though the disease is no longer prominent in the United States, Salisbury said polio continues to be a disease that needs to be fought. “Polio in America is pretty much gone,” said Salisbury, “but the case-in-point in this is: in places like Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan, it still exists. Just recently there was an outbreak in Somalia. Because polio still exists, it can pop up anywhere. As long as it is destroying the lives of children everywhere, something needs to be done.” If polio were eradicated, it would be only the third disease worldwide to be completely wiped out, following smallpox, the eradication of which was endorsed by the World Health Assembly in May 1980 (Wikipedia), and rinderpest, a viral disease which infected cattle and other ruminants, and was the first livestock disease to have been eradicated by human undertakings, declared October 2010 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (Wikipedia). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), polio is spread person-to-person and through sewage-contaminated water and food. It affects only humans. Complications include paralysis that can lead to permanent disability and death. According to the CDC, approximately 95 percent of individuals infected with polio will have no symptoms, while about 4 to 8 percent of infected persons will experience minor symptoms like fever, fatigue, nausea, headache and other flu-like systems, stiffness to the neck and back and pain in the limbs, “which often resolve completely,” according to the CDC website. Less than 1 percent of polio cases result in permanent paralysis of the limbs; the death rate increases with age, according to the CDC. Rotary leaders shared that while there is no known cure for polio at this time, children can be protected from the disease with oral vaccinations that cost as little as 60 cents. Visitors could walk in the event for a $10 registration fee, and all were encouraged to enjoy food and purchase opportunities to win prizes and raise money to continue the fight against polio. Highlights of the 26-hour event included entertainment by the Halfway Band and performances by comedian Eric Blake. Also on site during the event were Dan and Laura of A&E’s “Storage Wars,” who auctioned items in fundraising efforts Saturday evening. On Saturday afternoon, polio survivors gathered on the field to walk in the Polio Survivors Walk. “There were about seven or eight survivors and their families,” said Salisbury, “and a bagpiper marching on the field with them. Most of these survivors are in their late 60s, so you have people living in America today who have family members who were dramatically affected by polio. These individuals are compassionate enough to not let this happen to children in other parts of the world.” A grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation tripled all monies raised during the 26-hour walk event. Currently, shared Salisbury, it’s estimated that the weekend event raised $170,000, with monies still being finalized. With the grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a total of at least $510,000 was raised in the inaugural walk-a-thon. [END] The March to End Polio Date: Saturday, October 26, 2013 Time: 8:00 a.m. Event Location: Little League Western Regional Headquarters Address: 6707 Little League Drive, off I-215 San Bernardino CA 92407 Description: 26 hr event thru Oct. 27, 10 a.m. Come for an hour/overnight. Walk or engage in other activities in fight to eradicate polio. CONTACT INFO Phone: Thom Salisbury 909-855-3116 Website: www.MarchToEndPolio.com Press release: The March to End Polio will be held on Saturday and Sunday, October 26 and 27 at the Little League Western Regional Headquarters in San Bernardino, off of the I-215 freeway. Come for an hour or stay overnight, (RVs and tent camping are welcome) during this first-time event that has been created to raise awareness and critically-needed funds to finish the fight against Polio – which until it’s completely eradicated, will continue to be a threat in America and worldwide – local Rotary Clubs throughout the Inland Empire are organizing a walk-a-thon and day of fun. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to walk or purchase opportunities to win great prizes and help raise money to finish the fight in the few countries where Polio continues to destroy the lives of children and individuals – Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and most recently an outbreak in Somalia, proving that without complete eradification, this crippler can reappear anywhere. For just a $10 registration fee, participants will get a water bottle and a great neoprene coozie, and other goodies. The first few hundred will be eligible to get a t-shirt too. Hot dogs, chips and soft drinks will be available, and a complete spaghetti dinner will be available from 5-8pm Saturday for $7. Entertainment by the Halfway Band, comedian Eric Blake and others throughout much of this 24-hour event. Dan and Laura Dotson from A&E’s hit series “Storage Wars” will be auctioning items from 6:30 to 7:30 on Saturday evening. Donation items to be autioned are welcome and encouraged. A Polio Survivors Walk will take place at about 1:00. Vendor booths are also available at no cost, however all vendors are asked to donate a meaningful portion of their proceeds to the Fight to End Polio. This local walk-a-thon fundraiser comes at an important time in the fight to eradicate polio, which would be only the second human disease to ever be eradicated. Thanks to a generous grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, all money raised during this event, will be effectively tripled. Your $10 registration fee becomes $30. The walk-a-thon is open to everyone. Registration is available at the event or online, along with ledge forms at www.MarchToEndPolio.com. For more information about vendor booth, prize donations or anything else, please call Thom Salisbury at 909-855-3116. Come out and join the fun for a very good cause! ___________ More about Rotary and it’s efforts to eradicate Polio: Rotary is one of the very first humanitarian service organization and the original networking group was founded in 1905 and now has with nearly 34,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. In 1985, they made polio eradication its top priority and has since contributed $1.2 billion, and its members have logged countless thousands of volunteer hours to help immunize more than two billion children in 122 countries. Local Rotary Clubs perform their “Service Above Self” in a wide variety of ways both in their communities and throughout the world. In the Inland Empire, Rotary Clubs are once again working to raise 1,000,000 Meals to be distributed through local food pantries to hungry children, seniors and individuals. Local clubs meet at various times and locations throughout the world, visit AskRotary.com to find a club near you. Polio is a highly infectious disease that still strikes children mainly under the age of five. Polio can cause paralysis and sometimes death. There is no cure for polio, but for as little as 60 cents worth of oral vaccine, a child can be protected from the disease for life.