Kiwanis Club raises $25,000 to eliminate maternal/neonatal tetanus
On March 19, the Kiwanis Club of Elgin held a fundraising event to raise funds to eliminate maternal/neonatal tetanus. This preventable infection takes the lives of over 34,000 mothers and newborns each year.
The fundraising event featured Dr. Timothy Erickson, a 1978 Larkin High graduate who is now an international medical authority on toxicology and global health. Dr. Erickson provided information on world heath issues and threats specifically those affecting children. This ties into the Kiwanis objective "to serve the children of the world."
In addition, Michael Grudzinski, senior director of UNICEF's Global Cause Partnerships, provided the audience with an update on the Eliminate Project's progress. When Kiwanis began this partnership with UNICEF, tetanus infected a newborn every 9 minutes and prevention/inoculations was not widely available in 39 countries. Today those numbers have been significantly reduced to 14 countries with "elimination" in these countries within reach.
Ann Updegraff Spleth, Kiwanis Children's Fund COO, provided an update regarding where Kiwanis International was in achieving its $110 million fundraising goal. A goal that is clearly within reach as the Kiwanis Club of Elgin is close to reaching a goal of contributing $100,000. It should be noted that, although the Kiwanis Club of Elgin holds numerous fundraisers during the year the funds from these local fundraisers remain in the community while any and all Eliminate dedicated funds are raised at special events such as that held on March 19 and through directed contributions.
At the close of the presentations, the Aktion Club of Elgin, a Kiwanis-sponsored club for adults with disabilities, donated $500 to the project which will save the lives of over 270 mothers and newborns. The Aktion Club members raised these funds though primarily through their sales of poinsettia plants during the past few holiday seasons.
Finally the Kiwanis Club of Elgin, which is in its 98th year of service and fundraising efforts, has raised and contributed over $1 million to the community and is currently seeking input for a signature project to recognize its 100 years of service. If you have project suggestion or wish to know more about the club's efforts to the elimination of maternal/neonatal tetanus, contact Rick Poulton at (847) 977-4541 or iigov2016.17@gmail.com.
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