World Polio Day

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – October 24th is commonly recognized as World Polio Day, which celebrates the birthday of polio vaccine inventor Jonas Salk.

Polio is a highly contagious viral disease that can cause paralysis and Rotary International is on a mission to help eradicate it. Zanesville Daybreak Rotary President Julie MacLaine explains how the local club is contributing to that effort.

“It’s an international project and we began this program in… I believe it was 1985,” MacLaine said. “Our polio program began and we launched the national and international support of polio eradication. The Gates Foundation, this is a unique thing as well, the Gates Foundation matches our pledges 2-to-1. So it’s really… I mean the amount of money that has been raised by Rotarians has been unbelievable.” 

The Zanesville Daybreak Rotary Club will be partnering with the Zanesville Noon Rotary Club, to hold an upcoming Rotary-member-only event at the Eagles to raise funds for Rotary International to donate towards polio.

“If someone would like to donate to polio themselves, there is a website called endpolio.org. And donations are made, and again, they are matched… 2-to-1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. So we would encourage anyone to give to that if they would like to go towards a very worthwhile cause.”

When the Rotary’s polio program began in 1985, the number of polio cases around the world was around 350,000 cases every-year and now there are approximately 50 cases that are predominantly located in Pakistan and Afghanistan.