Rotary International’s primary goal today is to eradicate polio in the world.
Rotary has been spearheading that campaign since 1988 and is now “this close” to achieving its goal, says Williams Lake Daybreak Rotary president-elect Lori Macala placing her thumb and forefinger about a quarter of an inch apart.
Macala learned more about progress being made on the Rotary International’s Polio Plus campaign while attending the Pacific Northwest President Elect Training Seminar in Seattle this month.
Ramesh Ferris a Rotarian from the Yukon and a polio survivor was among the speakers. Ferris lost the use of his legs after contracting polio as a young child in India. He was adopted by a family in the Yukon who was able to fit him with braces and a cane so that he could walk again.
When the Polio Plus campaign began in 1988 Macala says there were more than 350,000 cases of polio in more than 125 countries.
“Now we are down to three countries where polio is still endemic, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Macala says.
In 2013 there were about 416 recorded cases of polio in those three countries.
“Only 34 cases have been reported as of March 11, 2015,” Macala says.
She notes war and strife in those countries have prevented the vaccine from reaching many people who fear the vaccine is an attempt by opposing forces to poison their children.
The Polio Plus campaign ends in 2018 and by then Macala says Rotary hopes to see an end to polio around the globe. Nigeria hasn’t had a case of polio since last July.
If the country is polio free for a year the campaign in that country can be considered a success, Macala says.
The Polio Plus campaign is a joint project of Rotary International, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
For every dollar donated to Polio Plus, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donates $2.
Rotarians around the globe help raise funds for the cause and in distributing the vaccine which is given to babies and children ages five years and younger, Macala says. All it takes is two drops of the vaccine by mouth to prevent the disabling and potentially deadly disease.
Affectionately known as Daybreak Rotary’s Queen of Sparkle, Macala found a shiny tiara to wear for the president elect seminar that was held at the Doubletree Seattle Airport Hotel for the 21st year March 5 to 8.
Macala attended the training seminar with 700 Rotarian president elects, district governors, past district governors, assistant governors, trainers, and speakers from the nine Pacific North West Rotary Districts in Alaska, B.C., Washington, Idaho, Oregon and part of California.
Wade Beaulieu, president elect from the Rotary Club of Williams Lake was also among the delegates attending the seminar.
Macala says all of the delegates attended six plenary dinner sessions with guest speakers and broke into groups according to club size to discuss topics including encouraging membership, enhancing public image, and the Rotary Foundation.
Among the plenary speakers was the past Rotary International president Richard King, who also talked about the Polio Plus campaign.
“He made us laugh and laugh, and cry,” Macala says.
The Rotary International president elect K.R. (Ravi) Ravindran, talked about the theme he has chosen for his service year — Be a Gift to the World — in yourself, your actions and in your service.
President elects will serve for a year from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.
Macala, who has been a Rotarian for five years and served as the Daybreak Rotary president in 2012/13, says her goals for 2015/16 are to get the club Facebook page up and running; hold a fundraising event for the Polio Plus campaign; add two more members to the club which now has 17 members; and carry on with current projects.
The current projects include holding used book sale fundraisers in February and November, selling Bronco Buttons, helping at the Cariboo Chilcotin Child Development Centre’s Christmas Wish Breakfast, and the big job of organizing the Daybreak Rotary’s Stampede Parade.
In keeping with the Rotary International theme, Macala says the parade theme this year will be: Be a Gift to the World, a salute to volunteers.
This summer she says the Daybreak Rotarians will also help the University of B.C.’s dentistry students when they volunteer their services in the Chilcotin.
This year will be the third year the Daybreak Rotarians will have partnered with the Williams Lake Harvest Fair to raise funds for the fair with their Bronco Button campaign. Macala says the club will be looking for another charitable organization to partner with in 2016.
This campaign involves making and selling 1,000 Bronco Buttons at $5 a piece. Purchasers of the buttons have a chance to win one of three $500 cash prizes.
After expenses the funds raised go to the selected non-profit organization whose members help with the sale of the buttons.
Last year the project raised about $2,500 for the Harvest Fair.
“That’s what we do,” Macala says. “We raise money and give it away.”
The Daybreak Rotary club meets at 7 a.m. on Tuesday mornings at 4 Sure Bistro. “Come join us,” invites Macala who can be reached at 250-305-8559.
Or people interested in becoming members can contact the current president Tom Foley who can be reached at 250-305-2227.
