Polio Eradication Newsletter July 2002

"FULFILLING OUR PROMISE: ERADICATE POLIO"

"Future generations will never forget the name of Rotary and your efforts"
Luis Giay, Chairman of the Rotary Foundation Trustees.

DISTRICT TARGET £100,000

Indications from around the Clubs in the District suggest that this exceptional appeal is being well supported. Thank you for that.

I stress that this is very much an exceptional appeal - to fulfill the promise in 1988 to eradicate polio from the face of the earth.

Clubs will receive (or have received) a letter, which asks for a "Statement of Intent" regarding its support for Polio Eradication. This information is needed by 1st September so that we can assess how much Clubs in the District are likely to raise. Plans can then be made to raise any shortfall so that the £100,000 is achieved. Please let your Group representative for Polio know this figure asap

FUND-RAISING Ideas

Each Club President has been sent a list of some suggested ways by which money can be raised. Making use of Gift Aid can of course increase personal donations. Several Rotarians may wish to do this especially if they joined since the last big appeal in the late 1980's

INFORMATION ON POLIO

is available on:
RI website www.rotary.org
WHO Polio Eradication website: www.polioeradication.org
www.who.int/inf/en/WHO-UNICEF-pr-2002-01.html

MISCONCEPTIONS

Three commonly heard are
1. "We've done polio"
2. "Eradication can never be achieved"
3. The Rotary Foundation has plenty of money
Answers:
1. We are making tremendous progress in the effort to eradicate polio but 10 countries still have wild poliovirus and cases of paralytic polio. In the last 12 months only around 300 cases (in 1988 over 350,000 cases in 125plus countries). It is like a marathon - we must not fail in the last few miles!
2. Eradication will be achieved as long as we keep up the efforts.
"Days of Tranquillity" are negotiated by the UN and the WHO to allow vaccine and teams of volunteers to help with vaccination to be flown in to such areas - e.g. Sri Lanka, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia
3. The Rotary Foundation appears to hold large reserves but these are funds for three years' programmes.
Educational such as Ambassadorial Scholarships and GSE.

Humanitarian such as Matching Grants as well as some remaining funds for polio. Other money is held in a Permanent fund, which will be held in perpetuity to raise money each year for the Annual programmes of the Foundation.

There is a commitment from RI to raise $80million towards the final appeal to eradicate polio.

EUROPE NOW CERTIFIED AS POLIO FREE

The last case was in Turkey over 3 years ago. Europe is now certified as polio free and this was announced at the Barcelona RI Convention. The last case was a boy, Melik Minas in SE Turkey who had never been immunised against polio.

PAYMENT

Cheques made payable to "RF UK Ltd -Polio Eradication" should be
forwarded to RIBI at Alcester as soon as possible after you have raised the money.

I would appreciate a note of how much the Club sends so that I can keep a District Total.

At the time of writing this I have heard the Trent Bridge has sent £2010 plus £562.80 from Gift aid - Total £2572.80.

Money sent to RIBI will be forwarded to the Rotary Foundation where it will be invested and used during the next few months

The Rotary Club of Belper

has contacted local schools to see if they would be interested in making contributions towards the appeal. There has been a positive response from some. A sample letter for use with schools and a modified fact sheet has been sent to Club Presidents

March 2003 is

"Let's March on Polio Month"

CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

The Mayor of the City of Derby, Robin Turner, has agreed to host the launch the Polio Eradication Campaign at the Council House in Derby on Monday 16th September at 1030. The objective is to raise the public awareness of the campaign, to raise the profile of Rotary and to invite the General public to support the campaign. They will be asked to make contributions to the Local Rotary Club or direct to the District.
Guests from the media, people with influence, councillors etc. are to be invited to try to obtain media coverage.
Negotiations are taking place to hold a similar event in Nottingham.

Quotation

from Bill Sergeant, Chairman of the International Polio plus Committee said at Anaheim
"The Director General of the World Health Organisation, a scientist, doctor, statesman in thanking Rotary says Rotary International --not the WHO, not UNICEF, not the Centers of Disease control, But ROTARY first had the vision of global eradication of polio"

FOR TALKS AND INFORMATION CONTACT

Keith Hammond at 01332 347949.
e-mail: via the contact centre
Or any member of the committee

POLIO ERADICATION CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Keith Hammond Derby (Chairman)
Colin Brockington Bretby (South)
Bibek Pradhan Mansfield (North)
Peter Clark Wirksworth (West)
Val Lindley Sherwood Sunrisers (East)
Brian Darlison (Hucknall) PR

******
"None are safe till all are safe" due to world wide travel.
***
"Only 50p saves a child from polio"
******

Quotation

from Kofi Annan, General Secretary of the United Nations:

"I want to salute Rotary International for its extraordinary leadership in one area of the United Nation's work: the fight to eradicate polio. Rotary's PolioPlus programme is a shining example of the achievements made possible by co-operation between the United Nations and non governmental organisations"

Quotation

In Moldova Past RI Director Mario Grassi told of a 12-year-old boy in a wheel chair who brought his 6 year old brother to be immunised. He whispered "For me you came too late"

Let's not be too late for the rest of the world's children

Action now can mean a polio free world!

ACT NOW!

Keith Hammond
e-mail: via the contact centre