Announcements:
John Snively informed us that a polio survivor from Whitehorse, Ramesh Ferris, would be cycling across Canada to raise funds for the fight against this disease. He will start from Mile 0 on April 12 at 10 am.

Health of the Club: John informed us that Les Canty is not doing well and has just come home from a period in the hospital but lacks energy. On the other hand, Mark Bedford is now home and anxious to get the garden started, but Jo, his fiance, is keeping him in check. They are to be married in Calgary on April 18.

Joan Peggs, Membership Chair, announced that Gary Smith would be inducted and congratulated Doug Downs of Harbourside for his unselfish sponsorship of a member for our Club. On taking the mike, Don pointed out that this is the second member he has persuaded
to join our Club, the first being Will Carter. Don extolled the virtues of Gary Smith, saying that he was sure he would be a good Rotarian. President Jack then presided over the installation. Welcome Gary!

Featured Speaker:
Joan Firkins, Past-District Governor and current District Foundation Chair, was introduced by Tom Croft who quite rightly said that she needed no introduction to this audience. Joan’s theme was PolioPlus but she said she would not ask members for more contributions because our Club has already been very generous. Rather, she showed an 11-minute video on PolioPlus which she thought might be of special interest to newer members. The video began with National Immunization Days in India in October, 2005. This NID in a country of more than one billion people was only made possible by thousands of volunteers organized primarily by Rotarians. Approximately 150 million children were immunized on that occasion. Since 1985 more than two billion children have been immunized. The video talked about the situation prior to 1954 when polio stalked the land and was a fearsome threat. Only crude and ineffective treatments were available, such as iron lungs and Sister Kenney’s foaming massages. Then first Jonas Salk with his injectable killed polio vaccine in 1954 and later Sabin’s orally administered attenuated virus preparations provided cheap, high-tech and almost fool-proof prevention. Polio was rapidly eliminated from the first world countries in North America, Europe and Australia/N.Z. Russia, too, where Sabin had carried out his clinical tests, also benefitted. However, that left most of the rest of the world out of the loop. In 1985 the WHO invited Rotary International to be a partner in the fight. At that time the disease was endemic in 125 countries. Now only Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India remain endemic. Last year only 7 cases occured in countries other than those four and only 1300 in total. As Joan said, we will see the end of polio in our time and we should tell all our friends about it. As we know, Bill Gates has donated $100M to R.I. to be matched over the next three years. By the time polio is eradicated, R.I. will have raised $650 M for the struggle.

Finally, Joan showed us a 4 minute video of an NID in Ethiopia, which also included footage of crippled children who had not been reached in time. The speaker was thanked by Gary Nazar.

In closing the meeting, President Jack said he wopuld be up before dawn tomorrow (Mar. 26) in order to present the Polio Bell to the Harbourside Club and to challenge them to beat our contributions.

PROGRAMS FOR MEETINGS 2008

DUTY ROSTER March/April 2008

Click on Biz Card below to be directed to individual member's business sites
Contact Tricia to add your Biz Card (Ask David Sills re Rates).