Rotarians Fulfill Polio Eradication Pledge

Paul Burns, Rotary Club district governor, visited Newtown Rotary Club last week and congratulated the members on their many active programs to help make a better community and a better world.

Rotary International’s big goal has been to eliminate polio from the face of the earth by the year 2005, the 100th anniversary of Rotary. Rotary announced this commitment in 1985 and was immediately joined by the World Health Organization, the Atlanta Center for Disease Control, UNICEF, the Pan American Health Organization, and many others. More than two billion children of the world have been vaccinated so far and only a few countries have not been certified “polio free.”

In 2002 it was stated that approximately $250,000 more would be required to complete the job and Rotary Clubs around the world each took on a commitment. Newtown Rotary committed for $9,000 and with the success of its recent Harley Davidson Motorcycle Raffle, were able to present Rotary Governor Burns with a check covering this amount.

 The total amount contributed in District 7980 (the four lower counties of Connecticut) was $446,000, the highest for any of the 32 Districts in New England and the North East Area.

Mr Burns stated that his club focus this year is on the 3-F’s –– Family, Friends and Fun ––while his humanitarian project is the “Gift of Life.” Yale New Haven Hospital has agreed to perform heart operations on two children at no charge.

 There are many children in the world who are suffering from heart ailments that will take their lives. A relative easy operation will correct this, Mr Burns said, but the families neither have the money nor the contacts to have it done in their country. For about $5,000 to cover then cost of transportation of the child and parents, the operation can be arranged. Recovery from such an operation is relatively short and in a week or so the child can recover and have a healthy future life.

Newtown Rotary meets at 6 pm at the Fireside Inn every Monday. Anyone wishing to know more about the many humanitarian works in which Newtown Rotary is involved is invited to attend the dinner meeting.