In the early 20th Century, polio was one of the most feared diseases in industrialized countries in the world, paralyzing hundreds of thousands of children every year and many died.

In Kimberley, a number of children were stricken with polio in the 1950s.

In 1985, Rotary launched Polio Plus and in 1988 Rotary was a founding member of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Through decades of commitment and work by Rotarians and our partners, more than 2.5 billion children have received the oral polio vaccine.

Has polio been eradicated? No – but we are over 99.9% of the way there.

On October 11, there were only nine cases of wild polio in the world.  Six in Afghanistan and three cases in Pakistan.

We must continue until polio is eradicated, (requiring three years of no new cases in the world).

Rotary Clubs around the world have contributed over $2.6 billion to fight polio.

The Rotary Club of Kimberley continues to donate to the polio eradication campaign with our annual goal of raising $1,000, which is then matched two for one by the Gates Foundation.

If you would like to help eradicate this disease, you can join us by donating, by cheque, to the:

Kimberley Rotary Club,

Box 13, Kimberley B.C.,

V1A 2Y5

Please indicate on your cheque memo: POLIO ERADICATION.

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