Results of the First Annual End Polio Now Walk are still coming in, at which 46 participants registered which included 2 polio survivors and five district leadership including: PDG Bob Newlon from Oregon Rotary, PDG Leo Patterson from Dixon Rotary, DGN Steve Kuhn from Sycamore Rotary, DGNE Kathy Kwiat-Hess from Rockford Rotary, PDG Ruth Lee, District Foundation Chair, from Rock Island,  who joined members of the public and the two sponsoring Rotary Clubs of Sterling Noon and Rock Falls.

The free Coloma Park Shelter Rental was won by Kim Velazquez. Before walkers began their journey along Hennepin Canal  and across the Rock River footbridge to the turn-around at the Gazebo on the Sterling side of the river,  the photo below of all participants was taken outside the Larson Shelter.

Money raised through donations at the event itself, profit from sale of End Polio T-shirts, and Rotarian individual  and club donations to Polio Plus of Rotary Foundation are presently at  $2733.00.  This amount will be tripled to  $8199.00 to eradicate polio, thanks to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation doubling all donations for ending polio.

Polio is almost eradicated.  In 2016 only 26 cases have been reported, those being in the last countries to be declared polio-free: Afghanistan and Pakistan; two of the cases did occur in Nigeria which had been declared polio free back in 2015.  That is exactly why it is so important to continue this fight against this disease, so we can truly say, it has been eradicated!

 

 

Participants gathered at Centennial Park for the First Annual End Polio Now Walk on Saturday morning, October 22, sponsored by the two Rotary Clubs of Sterling Noon and Rock Falls.  Each participant is indicating “We are this close” to eradicating polio in our lifetime!