On World Polio Day, October 24th, the proceeds from Rotary Club of Ladner's Pumpkins for Polio sales event will spare 857 children in the world under the age of 5 years from a lifetime of being crippled, sometimes severely, and even death, because of polio. Those children can survive and grow up to be healthy, fully active adults because every US$3 raised will protect a child from polio with oral vaccines, given the event's having raised US$860, which will be matched twice by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, for a total of US$2,580.
Thank you to Rotary members and Delta residents for the funds raised, Backroads Family Farm Market and the Guichon family for their donation of pumpkins and Tsawwassen Mills shopping centre for use of their parking lot in achieving this successful outcome.
 |  |
Walt Hayward and Richard Shantz, who led a team to produce the fundraising event | Hon. Carla Qualtrough, MP Delta, (2nd right) with her two children dropped by to purchase a pumpkin |
 |  |
While the health system rid our nation of polio long ago, it still ravages the lives of people in other parts of the world. One lady who showed up yesterday grew up many years ago in a community in the BC Interior where her older sister died of polio at age 14. Another lady who dropped by, with her single crutch, is a polio survivor.
These people may have been counted among the 350,000 cases of polio reported each year by 120 countries 35 and more years ago when Rotary International launched the global campaign to end polio, since joined by foundations, world health organizations and governments.
More information about Rotary's battle with partners to rid the world of polio.
  | |
| Robert Clark (l) and Harpreet Cheeman, of Pure Sunfarms, were on hand to raise funds | (l to r) Glyn Abraham, Patricia Sibley, Robert Clark, Harpreet Cheeman and (back) Brian Smith |
  | |
(l to r) Bob Silvester, Jim Burnett, Walt Hayward, Richard Shantz and Guillermo Bustos, plus Peter Roaf ready to sell for polio | |