Polio is not an isolated problem. The communities where polio thrives are also affected by other health issues and lack clean water and proper sanitation. To respond to multiple health needs at the same time, Rotary is focusing on projects that compliment polio eradication efforts – putting the “plus” in Polio Plus. One example in Pakistan, Rotary Clubs have partnered with The Coca-Cola Company and the United Nations Development Programme to build water filtration plants in Karachi’s highest-risk areas.
When children are vaccinated, their pinky finger is marked with coloured ink to show this. Tonight, you can “Paint a pinky for polio” in return for a gold coin donation. During the evening I will come around to paint your pinky!!
REMEMBER, ONE GOLD COIN WILL VACCINATE THREE CHILDREN.
IS THIS A ROTARIAN?
Do more than belong – PARTICIPATE
Do more than care – HELP.
Do more than believe – PRACTICE.
Do more than be fair - BE KIND
Do more than forgive – FORGET
Do more than dream – WORK.
AND THOUGHT PROVOKING
Young enough to know I can,
Old enough to know I shouldn’t,
Stupid enough to do it anyway.
They say that love is more important than money,
But have you ever tried to pay your bills with a hug?
You cannot do a kindness too soon,
because you never know how soon it will be too late.
ROTARY CLUB OF GAWLER WEEKLY BULLETIN Monday 25th March 2019 – Meeting 2988 | Guest Speaker | PP Marie-louise Lees | Subject | District Steering Committee Recommendations | Chairman | PP Dave Griffiths | Toast | Kathy Heinrich | Fellowship | Tony Fotheringham | Plaques | PP Kevin Clarke | Induction Anniversaries | | Birthdays | 29th John Ward 31st Jessie Sims | Monday 1st April 2019 – Meeting 2989 Vocational Visit at Salvation Army Premises 6pm for 6.30pm | Guest Speaker | From the Salvation Army | Subject | Our Presence in the Community | Chairman | PP Lance Hatcher | Toast | VP Steve Barilla | Fellowship | Fellowship Committee | Plaques | Fellowship Committee | Monday 8th April 2019 – Meeting 2990 | Guest Speaker | Honorary Member Karen Redman and Julie Tucker | Subject | Men’s Continence Bin | Chairman | PP Julie Tekell | Toast | PP Leanne Clinch | Fellowship | Dino Donati | Plaques | Mark Forgie | | |
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FORTHCOMING SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES AND EVENTS
“A good neighbour is someone who lets their garden grew as high as yours.”
“A stitch is time saves embarrassment.”
“Poise is the ability to be ill at ease inconspicuously.”
“Some times you’ve got to call a spade a spade to get it back from your neighbour.”
Friday 22nd March 2019 – Meeting 2988
A return to the previous Annual Chinese Banquet for the purpose of raising funds for Polio Plus
Our normal Monday night 18th March meeting was deferred to the Chinese Palace Murray Street on Friday 25th March. Many friends and family accompanied member which included the following. former Rotarians PP Mike Johnson, Jan Ween, Rebecca Rigano, plus former Rotariannes Sally Richardson and Georgie Hartwig. Also Trevor Briggs the late PP Elizabeth Briggs husband, and Honorary Member Mayor Karen Redman, .family members from several families and Kapunda Rotarian Max Bettison and his wife Anne. Kapunda was where the late Elizabeth was first a member and served her Presidency.
The food was amazing and plentiful commencing with soup and followed by rice dishes, meats and oysters plus vegetables – plus, plus, plus.
A raffle was conducted with 5 tickets for $10 with a number of winners and a wealth of prizes for those who won.
Many members had provided raffle prizes along with sponsors items for the Auction which saw a NEW AUCTIONEER showing his talent being another former Kapunda Rotarian in Bob Hinderwell who rose to the challenge.
The final figure available on the night exceeded $1000 AND PROVED WE HAD ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISIER
In closing the meeting PP Marie-louise Lees advised that Monday 25th Meeting 2988 will be presented by her on the subject of the District 9510 Steering Committee Recommendations.
During the course of the evening Rebecca Rigano the late Elizabeth Briggs daughter and former Gawler Rotarian paid tribute to her late mothers endeavours to fulfil the requirements of Polio Plus and for Gawler to continue positive actions in this regard.
Important comments in her presentation included “we can’t let up in our endeavours – one missed case could lead to thousands of others” and “it’s now 5 months since mum passed away.”
VP Steve Barilla thanked everybody for their presence on the night and ensured them that it would be a feature of next year’s Rotary Program.
THE POLIO UPDATE
FROM PP MARIE-LOUISE LEES
Rotary’s top global initiative is polio eradication. While there is still work to be done to finish the job, we can be proud of the incredible progress we’ve made, working with our partners in the Global Polio Eradication initiative (GPEI). On June 12 2017 Bill Gates and RI President John Germ announced $450m commitment to polio eradication, this translates to a Rotary goal of $50m annual contribution for 3 years and this is a massive effort. The Gates Foundation two dollars for every $1 rotary donation and that it costs $1 to donate one child, so $1 donated vaccinated 3 children.
YTD 2 cases in Afghanistan (compared to a total of 21 in all of 2018) and 2 cases in Pakistan (12 in 2018). Nigeria remains WPV free, with 2 cases of vaccine derived polio year to date. This is caused due to poor vaccination levels. There was a vaccine derived outbreak in PNG in 2018 and Papua this year – these are close to home and show the results of poor vaccination.
We’ve come a long, long way.
In 1988, the year when Rotary led the formation of the GPEI, the world had 3450,000 cases of polio in the 125 countries where polio was endemic. In 2018, there were 33 cases of word polio in 2 countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, which represents more than a 99.9% reduction of global polio cases.
Bold strategies are widening our reach.
The GPEI is using new approaches aimed at reaching more children. Some are high-tech, such as using geographic information system mapping. Others are low-tech – yet just as critical – such as deploying boats to deliver vaccines to the remote islands of the Lake Chad region.
New solutions are advancing our work in Afghanistan.
Rotary is doing its part to turn obstacles into opportunities in this war-torn country. Afghan Rotarians are working side by side with the government and other GPEI partners, often in dangerous places, to meet with local leaders who can foster community acceptance of the vaccine.
Rotary funded permanent transit points also help reach populations on the move between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
