Here are some other events Rotary members planned to celebrate World Polio Day this year:In eastern Ontario and western Quebec, Canada, thousands of Rotary members will put on red ponchos and march through the streets of their towns to raise awareness for polio eradication on World Polio Day, 24 October. Michael Kinsey, governor of Rotary District 7010, which spans the two provinces, ordered 2,000 of the special ponchos, which include the End Polio Now logo, for members to purchase for $10 each. Half of that goes to Rotary’s PolioPlus campaign, with the other half covering the cost of the poncho. Clubs are inviting local politicians and media to join the event, or holding small rallies to explain Rotary’s role in bringing an end to the crippling disease.
The Uganda PolioPlus Committee will mark World Polio Day with a cycling event named in honour of President-Elect Sam F. Owori, who died in July. Proceeds will go to the Sam F. Owori Memorial to Polio, created to honour his legacy. Owori served on both the Africa Regional PolioPlus Committee and the International PolioPlus Committee. Four-person teams of cyclists will compete in a 10 kilometre and 21-kilometre race at the Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala, on 22 October, in partnership with the Uganda Cycling Association.
The Rotary Club of Simmern-Hunsrück, Germany, in conjunction with the city’s annual festival, will sell several varieties of soup while promoting polio eradication. All proceeds will go to PolioPlus. Rotary members in Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, India, will hold a painting competition and oratory contest for elementary school students on 24 October. Students will be invited to a community centre to display their work and read their compositions while getting the opportunity to receive prizes. Posters are being printed in each school taking part in the contest, and raffle tickets are being sold, with proceeds going to support PolioPlus. Two Rotaractors MJ Pavan and Bhagyashree Sawant, both members of the Rotaract Club of Bangalore Orchards, plan to begin their six-month journey in early October in the Himalayan city of Leh, and cruise to a triumphant finish in their hometown of Bangalore in March. Along the way, they plan to visit 400 rural and government schools, talking to students about the importance of getting immunized against polio and other diseases and promoting healthy hygiene habits.
Jeep India, a subsidiary of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, is sponsoring their record attempt by sending a Jeep Compass to follow the cyclists and post frequent social media updates. “We definitely want to build up Rotary’s public image,” says Sawant. “Only a little over a third of India’s population is aware of Rotary,” Pavan says knowing that India is polio-free, but that the disease could come back at any time, is what motivates him. Members of the Rotaract Club of Pacific Beach, San Diego, California, USA, have organized a pub crawl for 14 October with special games, competitions, and discount food and drinks to raise money for polio eradication. Tickets to the six-bar event are $30. The Rotary Club of Thorpe Bay, Essex, England, is sponsoring a Purple4Polio benefit concert at the Palace Theatre in Westcliff-on-Sea on 22 October. Alex Mendham and his Orchestra will play 1930s tunes from George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, and others.
The Rotary Club of Makati Central, Philippines, will hold a competition to crown Miss Earth 2017 on 21 October, with more than 500 business professionals invited to attend. The club will show videos of Rotary’s efforts to eradicate polio throughout the competition