March 17th Meeting
Rick Murphy introduced PDG Ann Lee Hussey who was DG when Rick was president. Tonight, she updated the club on POLIO PLUS which has been both Rotary and her passion for many years.
 
The Polio survivor still works long hours supporting her cause by making trips to India & Nigeria.  Many club members will remember that she gave a stirring presentation at our 50th Anniversary Dinner. Last week-end she was a featured speaker at PETS attended by President-Elect Phil.
POLIO PLUS is still Rotary’s number one project. President Roosevelt who had Polio help start the March of Dimes which never discovered a cure but found a way to prevent it. Children under 5 years of age are the primary victims. After a 10 billion dollar investment, 99 % of the World’s countries are Polio free.
Pakistan still remains a challenger. Peshawar is where terrorists still hang out and threaten health care workers. Nigeria where Ann Lee has traveled is doing quite well . We are only fighting Polio Type 1 as both Type 2 & Type 3 have been eradicated. Nigeria has adopted a similar program to stop Ebola which is succeeding.
Concluding her presentation, Ann Lee urged us buy a “End Polio Now”  pin and wear it. She suggested that we follow endpolionow on both Facebook & Twitter. The Gates Foundation with match donations 3X.
There is still a big need for Crutches for Africa.