Oswego Rotary to Help Those With Polio

by Contributor | August 5, 2008 5:15 pm

Submitted article

Oswego Rotary President, Shawn Seale has announced that the Oswego Rotary Club has procured a simplified grant from Rotary International, District 7150 to help Oswego County adults who had polio with needs for special equipment not paid for by insurance.

The process to procure the grant began months ago when Bill Crist, who was president of the Oswego Rotary Club at the time, selected members Melanie Trexler, Executive Director of the United Way of Greater Oswego County and Sabine Ingerson, Director of the Oswego County Offices of ARISE to co-chair a committee to work on getting the grant.  “The committee did a wonderful job,” said Ingerson.  “The support we received from Bill and our Rotary District Governor, Paul Scott was instrumental in procurement of this grant.”

The Oswego Rotary Club received the grant through Rotary International’s PolioPlus initiative.  Decades ago, polio outbreaks were a constant threat around the world. After the introduction of polio vaccines by Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin and a steadfast immunization effort, these outbreaks became part of history in most of the world. However, many still live under the threat of polio, which is why Rotary and its global partners established the PolioPlus Program in 1985.

Rotary’s PolioPlus Program is the organization’s most ambitious program to date.  The program reflects Rotary’s commitment to reaching every child with vaccine and ending this disease worldwide.    For more than twenty years Rotary’s PolioPlus program has led the private sector in the global effort to rid the world of this crippling disease.  It is recognized worldwide as a model of public-private cooperation in pursuit of a humanitarian goal.  PolioPlus is dedicated to eradicating polio.  Since its inception Rotary’s vast network of more than one million members has contributed money, time and networking expertise to the polio eradication effort.

To date the program has made significant gains in the global fight against polio.  Since the 1980’s polio cases have declined by 99 percent, with fewer than two thousand cases reported in 2006.  In addition two billion children have been immunized, five million have been spared disability, and over 250,000 deaths from polio have been prevented.

“Rotary International is so very close to accompling its goal,” said Seale.  “Polio is now only in four countries and with the $100 million matching donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, Rotary International expects to reach its aggressive goal in the very near future.  Now not only is Rotary International determined to eradicate polio, Rotary wants to also help people affected by polio as well.  Oswego Rotary has applied for and received a grant from the Rotary Foundation to help adults affected by Polio or other neurological diseases.

The Oswego Rotary Club is proud to help support the PolioPlus Program and is pleased to be able to offer assistance to those adults who had polio here in Oswego County.  “We are very happy to have received this grant and are eager to offer help to those in need in our community,” added Seale.  “We encourage any Oswego County adults who have post-polio symptoms and could benefit from adaptive equipment including computer programs that are voice activated, art programs, or other items that will improve their quality of life to contact us at their earliest convenience and apply for assistance from the Oswego Rotary Club.”

Seale added that those interested in applying should send a letter with a brief statement of their needs to The Oswego Rotary Club, P.O. Box 3133, Oswego, NY  13126 no later than August 31.  For more information on the Rotary Club’s PolioPlus program visit the Rotary International website at www.rotary.org.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/community/oswego-rotary-to-help-those-with-polio/

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