Rotary members in Michigan City are taking action in honor of World Polio Day to raise awareness, funds, and support to end polio, a vaccine-preventable disease that still threatens children in parts of the world today.  

This event is open to the public as the community is invited to help take measures to eradicate polio. Tickets are $25 and available at the door or online at https://tinyurl.com/4yu6f35h. The World Polio Day event will be held on Thursday, October 24 from 6pm to 9pm at Krueger Memorial Hall, 801 Liberty Trail, Michigan City.

The purpose of this event is to recognize the progress in the fight to end polio, talk about actions needed to end polio for good, and raise funds to help in the eradication efforts. 

Club President Matt Kubik says, “The fight to eradicate the devastating childhood disease of polio is not over.  Our Rotary club is committed to the goal.”

Polio anywhere is a threat everywhere, and Rotary members from Michigan City have long worked to end the paralyzing virus, which will be only the second human disease ever to be eradicated. They have traveled to India to administer the vaccine, and raised over $46,343.23 to help Rotary combat this disease.

Rotary has contributed more than $2.7 billion to fight polio and countless volunteer hours since launching its PolioPlus program in 1985. In 1988, Rotary joined in partnership with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to form the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. The Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, later joined. When the initiative launched, there were 350,000 cases of polio every year. Today, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99.9%.

To sustain this progress and continue to reach every child with the polio vaccine, Rotary has committed to raising $50 million each year to support global polio eradication efforts. The Gates Foundation has pledged to match that 2-to-1 for a total yearly contribution of $150 million. 

About Rotary

Rotary brings together a global network of community leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. We connect 1.4 million members from more than 46,000 Rotary clubs across the world. Their service improves lives both locally and internationally, from helping those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. 

Visit Rotary.org and endpolio.org for more about Rotary and its efforts to eradicate polio.

About The Rotary Club of Michigan City

Charted in 1916, the Rotary Club of Michigan City has supported the community through service projects, recognitions, and scholarships. Following the philosophy of Rotary International, we improve lives both locally and internationally.