We Are This Close - International Polio Day

You have all seen the advertisements in the Rotarian Magazine and perhaps on television saying “We are this close.”  Our banner for the printed September and October weekly bulletins have featured our own Club members who have been involved in the End Polio now program. 

 We are close to eradicating polio throughout the world.  Earlier this year, it was announced that India has been polio free for over a year.  However, there are a few trouble spots where the disease is still pandemic:  Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

When a child receives the vaccine, his or her pinkie is painted purple with a felt tip marker.  Kim Withers became involved with the polio purple pinkie project when she “saw the smiling faces on 20 kids, sticking their little pinkies up in the air with a deep purple, colored tip, just after they receive the polio vaccine was all the motivation I needed.  For pennies, the vaccine changes lives.”

World Polio Day is October 24^th.  Together, through the cooperation of more than 200 countries and over 20 million volunteers, 2.5 billion children have been immunized against polio.  Rotary Club of Cheyenne has been part of this effort.  Eradication of Polio has been achieved in 99% of the world; but as long as it exists anywhere, it remains a threat everywhere!  The Rotary Club of Cheyenne is sponsoring “Casual for a Cause” on November 9^th.  Participating companies allow their employees to wear casual clothes (jeans) on that Friday in exchange for a $5 donation.  Each participating employee gets a pin that says “End Polio Now” and the satisfaction of knowing that they are helping in a worldwide effort.  Of course the contributions are tax deductible.  If you or your company would like to participate in “Casual for a Cause”, please contact one of the Polio Plus committee members:

Mick Finnegan 778-6303

Janet Lewis     778-9511

Reed Shafer    638-0357 (Answering machine is in French)

Erin Bageman 899-8889