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Rotary Club set to unite for End Polio Now initiative

Two local Rotary Clubs will be hoisting signs on Monday for the End Polio Now initiative
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ROTARY PENTICTON OKANAGAN Club members are joined by exchange student Aksel Palshoj from Denmark and Penticton Rotary club student Bruna Ferreira from Brazil as they promote World Polio Day on Oct.24

In honour of World Polio Day on Oct. 24, the Rotary Club of Penticton-Okanagan and the Rotary Club of Penticton will be raising awareness of the End Polio Now initiative.

It is part of Rotary’s 27-year mission to eradicate the crippling childhood disease. Rotarians will be hoisting their End Polio Now signs near the South Okanagan Events Centre on Eckhardt Avenue between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. They are encouraging drivers to honk while driving by.

Since 1985, Rotary has contributed nearly $1.2 billion and countless volunteer hours to the protection of more than two billion children in 122 countries. Locally, Rotarians donate personally to the End Polio Now campaign through The Rotary Foundation. The disease remains endemic in three countries  —  Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan — although other countries remain at risk for imported cases.  In 1985, there were 350,000 cases of polio. In 2016 there have been 27 cases to date.

The goal of a polio free world is very close.