Rotary International is known throughout the world as the organization dedicated to the eradication of this horrid disease. With the very generous help of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary is well on its way to success.

Locally the Rotary Club of Invermere and the community contributed over $8,400 last year to PolioPlus, the volunteer arm of the global partnership working on this project.

These funds are part of the pot that Rotary is raising in order to contribute a second $100 million match to the Gates foundation’s donation of $255 million. This is in addition to the $100 million received from the foundation in 2007.

Polio is a crippling and potentially fatal infectious disease that currently still strikes children mainly under the age of five in Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan. It last swept through North America in the 1950s affecting many local families. Claude Campbell is one of those who survived the epidemic.

“About a third of those who contracted the virus were paralyzed,” he said, “lots of young people died.” Claude was one of the fortunate ones who survived after five weeks in isolation.

Russ Daggert had five family members afflicted. He is, along with other Rotarians, very supportive of the role Rotary is taking in this fight.

If you would like to donate to help with the eradication of polio, send a cheque marked PolioPlus to The Rotary Club of Invermere, Box 877, Invermere, B.C. V0A 1K0. A receipt for tax purposes will be sent to you.