Rotary Club of Huntley taking donations for World Polio Day

The wild poliovirus is still alive paralyzing children and adults.

The Rotary Club of Huntley is raising awareness with World Polio Day on Sunday, Oct. 24, that if polio is not eradicated it will return with probably another strain that is only a plane ride away from returning to the states.

Rotary has been working since the 1980s to eliminate the vaccine-preventable disease of polio, which the nonprofit and its global partners did in 1995 here in the Americas.

In August of 2020, all of Africa became polio-clear and with only two countries left, Pakistan and Afghanistan, it is very close to worldwide eradication of this horrible virus.

Over $2 billion has been contributed by Rotarians over the past 35-plus years. The Rotary recently agreed to provide $50 million a year for 3 years with matching funds from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to hopefully, finally, totally eradicate polio. Working very hard and as quickly as possible will offer the best opportunity to succeed with this goal.

Community members helped the Rotary Club of Huntley with donations at Huntley's Fall Fest in September when club members brought the Iron Lung mobile mini museum for people to view.

The club also held two roasted sweet corn events this summer to help raise funds.

You also can donate through the donation button on the website: HuntleyRotary.org. The Rotary District 6440 Charitable Fund is a registered 501(c)(3) organization and has been established to accept donations to fund charitable and educational activities developed and sponsored by Rotary District 6440, the individual Rotary Clubs in Rotary District 6440, and The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. Gifts are deductible to the full extent allowable under IRS regulations.

If you are interested in joining the Rotary Club of Huntley, learn more about itsprojects, community service option, social events, and breakfast meetings at HuntleyRotary.org.