“‘Putt’ an end to polio” is the theme of the Rotary Club of Westfield-Mayville’s “PolioPlus Challenge” Miniature Golf Tournament, which will be held on Saturday, Aug. 19, starting at 9 a.m., at Webb’s Miniature Golf, 115 W. Lake Road, Rt. 394, Mayville, NY 14757. All net proceeds from this charity event will be matched 1:1 by a local foundation and donated to the Rotary International PolioPlus Fund to aid in the eradication of the crippling disease of polio.

This fun, family event, which is suitable for ages 3 to 93 and up, features 18 holes of miniature golf play for teams of four participants, prizes for the winning teams, chances to bid for an array of items, light refreshments and an educational display about Rotary’s efforts to eliminate the scourge of polio.

Foursome teams (teams of four players) for this charity, rain or shine event are currently being sought. Advance registration is required, and should be made by Aug. 12. Gather your family members, friends, relatives, colleagues, employees and anyone who wants to have an enjoyable time conquering the challenges of a miniature golf course, while helping to conquer polio in the world.

Choose the participants, as well as a name for each team. Team categories are all men, all women, and mixed, which consists of teams of men and women, or adults and children. Prizes will be awarded to the three overall winning teams and also the three runner-up teams. Fun hats and costumes would add to the enjoyment, though they are optional. The registration fee is $50 per team of four players. To register your team, contact Jan Berkhouse at berkhous@fairpoint.net or 397-8801.

In addition, sponsors for each of the 18 holes on the course are being accepted on a first come, first serve basis. The hole sponsor donation fee is $50, and hole sponsors’ names will be included in publicity, as possible. These sponsorships are going fast! Any business, club, organization, family or individual who is interested in being a hole sponsor, should also contact Jan Berkhouse as noted above, as soon as possible and before Aug. 12. Those interested in being a major event sponsor for a suggested donation of $500 may also contact Berkhouse.

The Rotary Club of Westfield-Mayville’s “PolioPlus Challenge” Miniature Golf Tournament on Aug. 19 is the next event in a series conducted by this group to raise awareness about polio and to raise funds to combat it. Last year this Rotary Club was given the unique opportunity of a matching 1:1 generous donation of up to $10,000 by a local foundation, provided the club held new fundraisers. This club’s goal is to raise $10,000 by or before the spring of 2018. Support of the community and area businesses is vital so that this club reaches its goal. The club has now raised over $6,300.

Once all of the funds from this club’s PolioPlus Challenge charity events and the local foundation’s matching donation are given to the Rotary International PolioPlus Fund, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will match all contributions 2:1. Every $1 that the Rotary Club of Westfield-Mayville raises through its PolioPlus Challenge events will become $6. Therefore, this organization plans to raise the $10,000 and generate a total of $60,000, after the matching donations are applied.

Currently one dose of polio vaccine costs 60 cents. $60,000 would vaccinate 100,000 children!

New cases of polio have dramatically decreased in the past decade, and to date there have been only six new cases. With a final effort, polio can be eradicated from the last three countries in which it is endemic; namely, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria. For general information, contact Jim Wakeman, Rotary Club of Westfield-Mayville Foundation & PolioPlus Chair, at jimwakeman67@gmail.com or 814-450-1866. Let’s “Putt an End to Polio” now.