Ever look at your baby or youngster…and think, WOW, what a beautiful gift. How in the world will I do it, how will I protect this precious soul. Well….here’s the good news: “We’re this CLOSE to ending Polio”. Only 200 new cases this year in 2011…. in only 4 counties. Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, & Nigeria…. that spells P.A.I.N.
But, here’s the bad news. Just one (1) untreated case of polio can jump from one person to person very quickly, if it is not caught in time. 3 years ago when the country of Nigeria STOPPED all polio immunizations for some “unknown reasons”, at the time… the disease took off all over AFRICA. It jumped from one child to the next, quickly and did a lot of damage. People begged and pleaded the country to restart the NID’s, Nation Immunization Days again. finally they did, but it took 6 months.
Rotarians from all over the world rushed to Africa to help NGO’s – Non Governmental Organizations, immunize children in many different countries. That 1 country did not follow thought with the plan…and thought children were being sterilized, because a container holding CLEAN products, was labeled, “STERILE”….That, we found out was the overriding culprit. Think of how global we all are now…1 child with the live virus, could come in contact with some kids here, who were not immunized, and it could take off. It’s not that far fetched…And if we stop now, without ERADICATING it…TOTALLY…..it will never go away…and all this time and energy has been wasted. It makes sense to stay on track and have EVERYONE help us do that….
So the story continues and after 6 months and hundreds of new outbreaks, in many different countries, Rotarians, unicef, and the World Health Organization, deemed it safe to travel again. Polio once again had reared it’s ugly head. Children we thought were safe contracted the disease, and will never be the same. I don’t know about you, but that breaks my heart….everytime I think about it I cry for those children. They will never get to kick a ball, or run and play soccer again…It’s absolutely heartbreaking!!!! Polio CAN be wiped out. YOU can help do it….WE must do it together. You can go to www.endpolio.org to make a contribution to Rotary International.
Rotarians all over the world, are making sure it will not happen again. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation came to the rescue…and gave Rotary a BIG CHALLENGE. A 200 Million dollar Challenge GRANT, at that. They said to Rotary International, “You are Good at Raising money…..and you keep your word! We will give you 200 million, if you raise 200 million.”….& they did. They gave us the 200 million & said we had 3 years to match it. Well, as you might have guessed, this story has a HAPPY ending……WE ARE “THIS CLOSE” TO ENDING POLIO…. and only 27 million away from our goal of raising 200 million dollars. We are on our way to help end polio NOW!!!!! With Polio’s end, in close sight… We will be happy to say, one day soon….it will be a GRAND celebration, one day, when we all can say, WE DID IT….We wiped out POLIO. It’s GONE…forever…and I HELPED TO DO IT!!!!
SO…..here’s YOUR challenge….if you have not stepped up to the plate to help wipe out this dreadful disease, please think of the children, your children, your grand kids, ALL the kids in the world who are counting on YOU… They are counting on you to do something!!… But what can one person do…you say??? GIVE, $10.00, $25.00, $100.00, or, sign up for our RACE…..If everyone did a little…we could all do a lot! Become a member or friend of the ROWDY Rousers and see what else we do for kids in our area….Our motto is “We make a difference”. Come Race with us…be part of the change we seek in the world. See us on Facebook, and twitter @redmondrousers and go see our BLOG at www.RedmondRousersRotary.org
Thanks,
Kelly Kyle – President of the Redmond Rousers Rotary Club www.RedmondRousers.com
info@redmondrousersrotary.org email me…tell me your thoughts about POLIO & the Race. Do you have someone you know who wants to race, & needs more people for a TEAM?…. I do too…. email me…