By the Rotary Club of San Juan Islands

Since its formation in 2003, The Rotary Club of San Juan Islands has donated over $80,000 to ending polio. We contribute $2,000 annually through San Juan Concours and Rotary GolfFund.

In 30 years, we’ve gone from 124 polio-endemic countries to two (Afghanistan and Pakistan). Sadly, the polio virus has recently been found in NYC’s wastewater, quietly spreading among unvaccinated people, genetically linked to the paralytic polio case identified in Rockland County, NY. Yet, without full funding and political commitment, this paralyzing disease could return to previously polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk, including our country.

When we talk about PolioPlus, the “plus” is something else that is provided. It might be providing clean water, bed nets, soap and even creating jobs. Vitamin A drops given to children at the same time as the polio vaccine has prevented 1.25 million deaths by decreasing susceptibility to infectious disease.

Thanks to a two-one match from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, every donation made at (http://www.endpolio.org/donate) will be tripled.

Help us see this fight to the end.