conquering polio

Do millennials even know what polio is?

It’s an insidious disease that attacks and paralyzes children.

Rotarians decided in 1985 to promise the children of the world that they would eradicate polio from the earth.

“We keep our promises” said District Polio Program Chair Bernie Riedel.

If you are not a Rotarian, you probably don’t know what they do. That is because Rotarians are reticent. They were taught by their mothers not to brag.

For example, my mother felt we ought to do what we could to help others and be silent about it. Tell no one because this is what’s expected of us.

If you did something good, it made you feel good and that was enough.

You didn’t tell anyone. If you did, it somehow lessened the good deed.

That may still be good advice for an individual, but it is not good public relations for an organization which is helping people and wants to grow its membership.

Take a look at what Rotary does and see how well you think we have done.

• In 1985 polio paralyzed 1,000 children every day. Due to Rotary’s efforts, in 2018 there were only 33 polio cases in the world.

• Did you know that since 1985, Rotary District 7770 (that is our half of South Carolina) has contributed over $2.8 million to eradicate polio? Rotary International has contributed $1.9 billion to ending polio.

• A Rotarian in Sumter started a campaign to end the horrors of Alzheimer’s. In the last 23 years Rotary has awarded $8.2 million in grants to US research groups.

• Within 2 days of Hurricane Dorian, Water Mission had boots on the ground providing safe water and sanitation. Rotary has been a field partner of Water Mission since it was established in 2001 in Charleston.

• Rotarians committed several years ago to build an elementary school in Ghana. Today that school has been dedicated and includes 2 microflush toilets. Plans for other schools are underway.

Rotary is dedicated to 6 causes to build international relations, improve lives and create a better world. Those are promoting peace, fighting disease, providing clean water, sanitation and hygiene, saving mothers and children, supporting education and growing local economies.

Rotary’s mission is “Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities and in ourselves.”

Rotary does a good job improving lives, but Rotary does a miserable job of letting people know about all of the good they do.

It is time to put a light on the good Rotary does.

Would you like to make a difference?

Ask a Rotarian about joining Rotary, and help shine a light on the good deeds Rotary does. For more information on Rotary please visit https://www.rotary7770.org .

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