Rotarians reach polio milestone
ROTARY clubs in Sleaford have joined clubs across the country, and the rest of the world, in raising $200 million for a major polio eradication fund-raising challenge.
The fund-raising milestone was reached in response to a $355 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, set up in 2007, with a target date of June this year.
The grant was to be awarded once Rotary had raised $200m.
In addition to delivering the promised $355m challenge, an additional $50m from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is being committed to the global fight against polio.
Bill Martindale, president of the Rotary Club of Sleaford Kesteven, said: “We’ll celebrate this achievement but it doesn’t mean that we’ll stop raising money or spreading the word about polio eradication.
“We can’t stop until our entire world is certified as polio free.”
Rotary members not only reached into their own pockets to support the challenge, they also involved the community in a variety of creative fund-raising projects, such as the Rotary Beer Festival in April.
“Raising this incredible amount is thanks to the support of our community,” added Bill.
“Rotary is very much part of the community and seeks to support it but we also need the community to support us and I would like to say thank you to everyone who has helped to stop polio. Every time someone donates to End Polio Now, we take another step closer to saying goodbye to the disease and saving children from a lifetime of crippling pain.”
All funds have been earmarked to support polio immunisation activities in affected countries where this vaccine-preventable disease continues to paralyse children.
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Weather for Sleaford
Saturday 26 May 2012
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