As you may know Rotary International must raise $50,000,000 each year to obtain the matching dollars from the Gates Foundation. What this means is that for every $1 we raise the Gates Foundation will match our dollars 2 for 1 and PolioPlus will gain $3 ($50,000,000 becomes $150,000,000). Please remember that the fight against Polio is not over and that eradication does not mean elimination of the virus. Vaccination against Polio is of ongoing importance and Rotary will be there to help.

 

 

One way for Rotarians to contribute to the PolioPlus Fund is through individual donations. For $100 USD each year you can become a member of the PolioPlus Society. You will receive a pin recognizing that you are a member of the PolioPlus Society. To donate just log in to Rotary.org. Last year several Clubs in our Zone spoke of fundraising ideas that they were using in the lead up to World Polio Day on October 24. Here are some of the ideas that have been used: on-line silent auctions, having a virtual “Big-name” speaker and selling tickets for this, selling carved pumpkins, having Club members contribute to a “piggy bank for Polio” at Club meetings and hosting a dinner party to raise money for Polio. Your Club can adopt one or more of these ideas or you can get creative and add to the list!

 

With this in mind, we have decided to have a contest in our District for ideas that your Club is has and that other Clubs could adopt. All ideas would be shared with the Clubs in the District and prizes would be awarded to the most innovative. Of course, we would be interested in knowing how much money is raised through these ideas. To the end, please submit your ideas to the District Polio team - email Joan Hunter and/or Susan Diening by September 30^th so that they can be shared in time for Club fundraising efforts leading up to October 24, 2024.