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Westfield-Mayville Rotary Surpasses Its PolioPlus Challenge Goal

Rotary Club of Westfield-Mayville members, Rotary dignitaries and guests celebrated on April 10 this Rotary club’s significant achievement of surpassing its PolioPlus Challenge goal of raising $10,000 by this spring for The Rotary Foundation PolioPlus Fund. The club raised $$11,715.46, which generated funds totaling $65,146.38, after two foundations’ generous matches. This will give 108,577 children a dose of the polio vaccine. Present during the “PolioPlus-apalooza” celebration, which was held at Brazill’s On Main in Westfield were, from left, Sue Hammond, Club Public Relations Chair; Karen Oakes, Rotary International Zone 24E Foundation Coordinator; Reg Madison, Rotary District 7090 Governor; Pat Castiglia, Rotary District 7090 End Polio Now Chair; Jim Wakeman, Club Foundation and PolioPlus Challenge Chair; and Janese Berkhouse, Club President. Submitted photo

In 18 months members of the Rotary Club of Westfield-Mayville raised $11,715.46 and donated it to The Rotary Foundation PolioPlus Fund for polio eradication efforts. This organization had set an original goal of raising $10,000 within two years. On April 10, 32 Rotary International Zone 24E and District 7090 officials, guests and club members gathered at Brazill’s On Main in Westfield for the official announcement and dinner celebration, which was titled “PolioPlus-apalooza.”

This Rotary club had been challenged by an anonymous, local foundation to raise $10,000 in two years, through new fundraisers, each with an educational component about the disease of polio. The Rotary Club of Westfield energetically met its challenge. The club first submitted its major donation of $11,715.46 to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) PolioPlus Fund, and then the local foundation generously made its major contribution of $10,000.

Because the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is offering a $2:1 match of all donations, the Westfield-Mayville Rotary Club played a significant role in generating $65,146.38 in the fight against polio. A single dose of the polio vaccine costs about sixty cents. The polio virus remains in Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan.

Polio (poliomyelitis) mainly affects children under 5 years of age. According to the World Health Organization, “Cases due to wild poliovirus have decreased by over 99 percent, since 1988, from an estimated 350,000 cases then, to 22 reported cases in 2017. As a result of the global effort to eradicate the disease, more than 16 million people have been saved from paralysis. As long as a single child remains infected, children in all countries are at risk of contracting polio.” (Source: WHO Media Centre, March 2018 Fact Sheet.) To date in 2017, only seven new cases of the wild polio virus have been identified. (Source: WHO Global Polio Eradication Initiative; polioeradication.org, April 2018.)

Jim Wakeman, Rotary Club of Westfield-Mayville Foundation and PolioPlus Challenge Chair, announced, “As we celebrate the achievement of our club’s goal, and recognize the fantastic efforts of all those who were involved, it is most important that we especially remember the end result. Because of our efforts, 108,577 children will receive doses of the polio vaccine. These children will not suffer the effects of this crippling and sometimes paralyzing disease, nor will their lives be forever negatively impacted by it.”

Rotary International Zone 24E Foundation Coordinator Karen Oakes stated, “This truly is an amazing achievement by the Rotary Club of Westfield-Mayville. It is a major contribution in support of global polio eradication efforts.”

Rotary District 7090 Governor Reg Madison said, “How proud I am of this Rotary Club for its PolioPlus Challenge campaign efforts. When I first learned that this organization had not reached, but surpassed its challenge goal, I was overwhelmed and just cried tears of joy. This is a remarkable accomplishment.”

Pat Castiglia, Rotary District 7090 End Polio Now Chair, offered, “Congratulations to the members of the Rotary Club of Westfield-Mayville on their successful fundraising for the End Polio Now efforts. The challenge you met ensured your total donation will greatly assist our mission of eliminating polio in the world. Thank you for your commitment.”

John Teibert, Rotary District 7090 Foundation Director, sent a congratulatory letter to be read at the celebration. Teibert stated, “On behalf of the District’s Rotary Foundation Committee, I would like to congratulate your club on…the successful completion of your PolioPlus Challenge. The resulting contribution of more than $20,000 to the End Polio Now campaign is absolutely fantastic. It brings Rotary a little bit closer to realizing its dream of eradicating polio. It is these kinds of amazing efforts that makes me proud to be a Rotarian.”

Janese Berkhouse, Westfield-Mayville Rotary Club President, noted, “After 18 months and countless hours of planning and executing the four fundraisers, our PolioPlus Challenge has not only been met, but exceeded! Planning and discussions go long beyond committee meetings. As Rotarians, we do this and will continue to do this, because we truly believe in the Rotary motto of ‘Service Above Self.'”

The Rotary Club of Westfield-Mayville began its challenge in mid-August 2016. Mike Harrington, who was club president during 2016-2017, and the organization’s board at the time endorsed this challenge and viewed it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the club to participate in a unified effort and make a significant impact in the fight against polio. The club’s four related fundraisers, event dates and related Rotarian chairpersons were as follow: “Pace Against Polio” – Nov. 11, 2016, Adele Harrington; “Cash to Bash Polio” – March 14, 2017, Pete Bills; “PolioPlus Challenge Miniature Golf Tournament” – Aug. 29, 2017, Jim Wakeman; and “Pancakes Against Polio” – March 10, 2018, Patty Benton.

To aid the Westfield-Mayville Rotarians with their campaign, the following groups held events and generously raised over $2,700 in donations: The Brocton Interact Club (“Crazy Hat Day”); Fredonia Rotaract Club (“Sweater for the Better” ugly holiday sweater contest; “Fredonia Rotaract Gala”); and the Chautauqua Lake Central School Interact Club (“Pennies for Polio” penny wars among high school grade levels).

In addition, during the 18 months of the challenge, numerous organizations, groups and individuals kindly offered support with event sponsorships, monetary contributions and/or free or discounted merchandise and refreshments, as well as event volunteers and participation. The Rotary Club of Westfield-Mayville gratefully acknowledges the strong support of all who helped this club surpass its PolioPlus Challenge goal. For more information about the Westfield-Mayville Rotary Club’s PolioPlus Challenge, contact Jim Wakeman, jimwakeman67@gmail.com or 814-450-1866.

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