NOTES FROM OUR MEETING 10/29/19:
Announcements
- Alicia Bowman mentioned that volunteers are needed for Ruth's Harvest on Dec 12 and 16
- Jess Socrates announced that a grant of $64,000 was obtained to feed the homeless in the Philippines. Additionally, 125 children have been helped so far through Operation Braveheart
- Program - Among our guests today we welcomed 25 Polio survivors and their families; as well as District Governor Paddy Rooney;Bev Frey from Senator Mastriano's office; C.J. Weigle and Stephanie Jarbeck from Rep. Kate Klunk's office; and Carol Ferguson from the Polio Survivors Network.
Special thanks go out to Josh and John Bailey for having the "Rotary Bus" there.
Our Program today focused on Rotary International's efforts to eradicate Polio worldwide. Deb Stambaugh spoke about the PA Polio Survivors Network and support group. She emphasized that they are survivors NOT victims of polio, and that vaccines DO WORK!
District Governor Paddy Rooney then spoke about RI's efforts worldwide to fight polio which began in the Philippines in 1985 - Global Polio Eradication Initiative. We are "this close" and Rotary will not stop focusing on polio until the job is done, no matter how long it takes! The border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan remains the primary area ideology prevents children from being vaccinated. In all there are over $20 million children in the world today who are under or un-vaccinated. The fight must and will go on!
