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Letter: Rotary proclaims Oct. 24 as World Polio Day

Eden Prairie News - 10/14/2017

WHEREAS, Rotary International, founded on Feb. 23, 1905, in Chicago, Illinois USA, is the world's first and one of the largest nonprofit service organizations; and

WHEREAS, there are over 1.2 million Rotary club members comprised of professional and business leaders in over 35,000 clubs in 200 countries and geographic areas; and

WHEREAS, the Rotary motto "Service Above Self" inspires members to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards, and promote good will and peace in the world; and

WHEREAS, Rotary in 1985 launched PolioPlus and spearheaded the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which today includes the World Health Organization, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to immunize the children of the world against polio; and

WHEREAS, polio cases have dropped by 99.9 percent since 1988 and the world stands on the threshold of eradicating the disease; and

WHEREAS, to date, Rotary has contributed more than US$1.7 billion and countless volunteer hours to the protection of more than two billion children in 122 countries; and

WHEREAS, Rotary is currently working to raise an additional $150 million, which ? if realized -- will be tripled by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for a total of up to $450 million over the next three years; and

WHEREAS, these efforts are providing much needed operational support, medical personnel, laboratory equipment and educational materials for health workers and parents; and

WHERES, in addition, Rotary has played a major role in decisions by donor governments to contribute more than $8 billion to the effort; and

WHEREAS, Rotary club members throughout Eden Prairie and the State of Minnesota are sponsoring service projects to address such critical issues as poverty, health, hunger, illiteracy, and the environment in their local communities, and abroad.

Therefore, I, Roger Jorgensen, president of the Eden Prairie AM Rotary Club, do hereby proclaim Oct. 24 as World Polio Day in Eden Prairie and encourage all citizens to join myself and Rotary International in the fight for a polio-free world.

Roger Jorgensen

Eden Prairie