October 23 has been designated 2015 World Polio Day. It is a day to celebrate the success in eradicating polio in most of the world and dedicate ourselves to the final push to make a few remaining countries polio-free.
Rotary started the drive to rid the world of polio about thirty years ago. Later, it was joined in this effort by the World Health Organization and the Bill Gates Foundation. With the help of Rotary Clubs and Rotarians in all parts of the world, the effort to eradicate this dread disease once and for all has been amazingly successful. Last year, it was announced that India, one of the few remaining countries in which polio had still been endemic, was polio free. More recently, we heard that Nigeria has not had a single case of polio for the last twelve months. That means that Nigeria and the whole continent of Africa are on the verge of being polio free. Now the major focus will be on Afghanistan and Pakistan, where the task of getting the polio vaccine to vulnerable children is complicated by continuing internal strife.
On October 23, at 4:30 pm Mountain Time, Rotary will host a live streaming event to celebrate World Polio Day. Guests will include Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners, celebrity ambassadors, polio survivors, and others. To join the festivities, go to http://livestream.com/rotaryinternational/worldpolioday.
The Rotary Club of Silver City will celebrate the event at a later date, when Tom Walker, the District Governor of Rotary District 5520, will be able to participate in a special fundraising reception. The reception is scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the First Church of Harmony at Arizona and 7th Streets in Silver City.