Vashon Island, WA — In a determined show of commitment, members of the Vashon Rotary Club faced chilly weather and rain on Saturday to support Rotary International’s worldwide “End Polio Now” campaign. The day’s efforts raised close to $900, which, through the Gates Foundation’s 3-to-1 matching pledge, will yield nearly $3,000 for polio eradication efforts. Thanks to the community’s generosity, these funds will bolster life-saving vaccinations and educational programs aimed at finally ending polio for good.
The fight against polio has been a cornerstone of Rotary’s mission since 1985, when Rotary International launched its PolioPlus program with the ambitious goal of eradicating the disease. At that time, the world saw over 350,000 new cases of polio each year across 125 countries. Since then, Rotary has collaborated with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and, in recent years, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Their partnership has resulted in vaccinating over 2.5 billion children, reducing polio cases worldwide by more than 99%.
Today, polio remains endemic in only two countries—Afghanistan and Pakistan—but recent reports of vaccine-derived cases show that the virus can still resurge in regions with low immunization rates. This underscores the importance of continued vaccination efforts and community support, especially in remote and conflict-affected areas.
By joining in Rotary’s “End Polio Now” campaign, the Vashon Rotary Club upholds Rotary’s century-long tradition of service. Since its founding in 1905, Rotary has grown to over 1.4 million members worldwide, united by the vision of “Service Above Self.” Each year, Rotarians commit to various humanitarian initiatives, from clean water and literacy to maternal and child health, and polio eradication remains among the most critical.
Vashon Rotary’s successful campaign shows the collective strength of individuals united by a common purpose. Through local events like this, the Rotary community continues to inspire action toward a world where polio becomes only a memory. Thank you to all who donated and contributed to this significant step forward. With each dollar multiplied by the Gates Foundation’s matching grant, Vashon Rotary’s efforts inch us closer to a polio-free world.
