The next time you hear or read a plea for financial support of Rotary’s anti-polio efforts, please don’t consider it just more of the same old fundraising rhetoric.
As recently as last year, public health authorities determined the dreaded disease that once ravaged every nation had been confined to just three countries — Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan — because of a vigorous decades-long immunization spearheaded by Rotary International.
Since then, violence and terrorism have halted immunization efforts and polio has grown worse in those three countries as well as other parts of Africa terrorized by the Boko Harum terrorists,
And now, the ongoing turmoil in Syria has affected polio immunization efforts there, with dosage levels dropping from 80% of the population to only 40%. That, in turn, has led to an outbreak of more than 20 polio cases already this year in a nation that had been polio free since 2011.
Why? An interruption of the polio vaccine supply line, the growing number of refugees who tend to spread disease because they have compromised access to health care and are aimlessly migratory, and the inability to maintain programs because of widespread violence and assaults on volunteer and professional medical workers.
As we know, although polio is incurable it is preventable, but that requires a non-stop program of vaccination even in areas believed to be “polio free.” And, that requires financial support.
Food for thought.
Breakfast Meeting at Greenbush YMCA
MEETING TRANSITION — Responsibility for the monthly breakfast meetings, which have been shared by Terry Brewer and Shannon Romanowski, director of the YMCA where meetings are held, has been moved to Presidents-elect Jim Butterworth and Ron Annis, along with Shannon. Their “ownership” will begin with the September 21 meeting, at which Terry will speak on the topic of emergency preparedness. The club extends its gratitude to Terry for his efforts in establishing and nurturing the monthly meeting series for the past two years and its role in helping recruit new members.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE — Kevin Leyhane, who has submitted an application for Rotary membership, was welcomed by President Roberto Martinez. Also, Roberto has been in contact with Adam Roberts, an East Greenbush resident who was unable to come to this meeting but says he hopes to attend soon. He, too, has submitted an application. … Terry provided an update on the District 7190 Membership Committee on which he sits and noted the possibility of seeing some districts merged if membership drops too far. … On the club membership front, we still are looking to get some of the school district superintendents to join our club, perhaps under corporate membership. We have several other potential applicants in the pipeline. We did lose one short-term member, Bob DeBenedetti, who did not renew for 2017-18. Current paid membership is a strong 48, not counting two people with applications pending.
Anyone in need of a few — well, OK, a LOT — of laughs would be well advised to attend a performance of the rollicking musical comedy “Monty Python’s Spamalot” at the Mac-Haydn Theatre in Columbia County. That was the latest event on SRC’s “Summer Casual Schedule.”
If you’ve been wondering when our Third Thursday breakfast meeting series will resume, wonder no more. We’ll be gathering at 7 a.m. this Thursday at the Greenbush YMCA for a one-hour session.
The second and final cookout and pool party combo on our SRC “Summer Casual” calendar is set for 6 p.m. this Thursday at Jim Leyhane’s East Greenbush residence, hosted by Jim and Andy.
If you have not yet made your contributions to our annual school supplies drive for needy kids in the Rensselaer City School District, you can give them to project coordinator Andy Leyhane at Thursday’s social event.
Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club 