MEETING OF NOVEMBER 21, 2002
By Steve GruberToday's talk by Don Allen, who will be the district governor starting next July, was an example of Rotary's international reach and its powerful fundraising ability. Don was
afflicted by polio at age 13, and went through years of therapy before regaining full use of his legs. He grew up at a time (the 1940s and 1950s) when polio was an epidemic that struck both young and old. Don recalled being in a hospital room with many others who had polio, including men in their 40s and 50s. It was an era of iron lungs, fear of public swimming pools, and shattered lives.
Don told us about PolioPlus, which is probably Rotary's most successful international program. The program, which is explained in detail at http://www.rotary.org/foundation/polioplus/index.html, got its start in 1979 with an experimental program in the Philippines to help deliver polio vaccine to six million children. It worked so well that Rotary, through the Health, Hunger, and Humanity Program, started similar efforts in Haiti, Bolivia, Morocco, Sierra Leone, and Cambodia.
But the PolioPlus program as we know it was launched in 1985, when Rotary International pledged $120 million to eradicate polio worldwide. The amount promised was stunning because Rotary had never worked with numbers that large before. Each club was given a goal and, within a short time, it became apparent that there was so much support for the program that the goal could be doubled. By 2005, RI will have raised more than $500 million for PolioPlus.
Rotary International has worked with the World Health Organization, the U.N. Children's Fund, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to achieve a 99 percent reduction in the number of polio cases worldwide. The goal is to completely eradicate polio in 2005, the centennial of Rotary. The graph to the left shows the extent of financial aid that has been provided by Rotary International. (Graph provided by RI.)
Don recently returned from Ghana, where District 5170 has concentrated its efforts for PolioPlus. A group of Rotarians both from California and Ghana gave drops of the vaccine to thousands of children. Although opponents of the program had spread rumors that the drops were harmful to children, Don said that the parents who brought their children to the clinics said they trusted Rotary to save their children from polio.
The major problem facing PolioPlus now is funding. Earlier this year RI announced a polio eradication fundraising campaign to raise $80 million to help close the funding gap, estimated at $275 million by the World Health Organization.
In other news:
Message from Nancy Traficanti received last week: I visited with Billy Russell yesterday. He is in physical therapy at Los Altos Acute Care Center. They plan for him to be there for approximately 3 weeks. His plan is to then move into Bridgepoint at Los Altos, on Los Altos Ave. Billy is doing remarkably well and is in good spirits. He welcomes all visitors.
The Holiday Party will be on Wednesday, Dec. 18, from 6 to 10 p.m. It will be held at the Jesuit Retreat House, and will feature an elegant cocktail buffet and music by Jazz Conexion. The cost is $35 per person. Bring your checks, payable to the Los Altos Rotary Endowment Foundation, to the next club meeting.
Programs and Events
December
December 5: Gary Cavalli, Executive Director of the San Francisco Bowl, “The Building of a Bowl Game”
December 12: John Elman, Humorist, “Looking for Laughter in All the Right Places”
December 18: Holiday Party
December 19: Main Street Singers, Los Altos High School, “Holiday Music” Choral Music: Mark Shaull Director
December: 26: No Meeting, Happy Holidays
January
January 25: Progressive Dinner
NEARBY ROTARY CLUB MEETING PLACES
TUESDAY
Los Altos Sunset: The Echo Restaurant, Los Altos, 7:15 p.m.
Mountain View: Adobe House, Moffett & Central, Mountain View, 12:15 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
Menlo Park: Menlo Park Recreation Center, Menlo Park, noon.
Woodside/Portola: Woodside Village Church, Woodside, 7:30 a.m.
THURSDAY
Palo Alto Sunrise: Scott's, Town & Country, Palo Alto, 7:15 a.m.
FRIDAY
Palo Alto University: Sheraton, El Camino, Palo Alto, 7:30 a.m.
"Information in this newsletter is intended for the exclusive use of the members of the Rotary Club of Los Altos to facilitate the work of the club and to promote club fellowship. It is not to be used for any commercial or outside, unrelated, non-profit purposes. No publication of material in this newsletter should occur without the express permission of the club President or the Editor of the Rotator."Copyright 2002 The Los Altos Rotary Club
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