Rotary District 6510 presents ‘Ponies for Polio’ in May; sponsorships available now
Proceeds to benefit PolioPlus and matched 2-to-1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Rotary District 6510 will present “Ponies for Polio,” a fundraising event with proceeds benefiting PolioPlus, on Friday, May 5, 2023, at the KC Event Center (5420 Old Collinsville Road, Fairview Heights, IL). Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and tickets must be purchased in advance at bit.ly/Rotary6510PoniesforPolio.
For more than 30 years, Rotary and our partners have driven the effort to eradicate polio worldwide. The PolioPlus program was the first initiative to tackle global polio eradication by vaccinating children on a massive scale. As a core partner in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Rotary focuses on advocacy, fundraising, volunteer recruitment, and awareness-building.
“Rotary members have contributed more than $2.2 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease,” shared Rotary District 6510 Governor Mary Harvey. “We hope that Rotarians and friends of Rotary join us on May 5 for an evening of fellowship, friendship, and fun to help us to raise money for polio eradication.”
Poliomyelitis, or polio, is a paralyzing and potentially fatal disease that still threatens children in some parts of the world. Poliovirus invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis in hours. It can strike people of any age but mainly affects children under five. Polio can be prevented by vaccines, but it is not curable. Unlike most diseases, polio can be eradicated. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort, and Rotary has committed to raising $50 million per year for polio eradication.
“The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match donations 2-to-1 given to Ponies for Polio,” said Catherine Taylor Yank, CEO of Jim Taylor Inc., who is serving as chairperson for the event. “The funds raised by this event will provide much-needed operational support, medical workers, laboratory equipment, and educational materials.”
To learn more, donate, and register for the event, visit bit.ly/Rotary6510PoniesforPolio. For sponsorship opportunities or questions, email ctayloryank@taylorroof.com.
About Rotary
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.4 million members of more than 46,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work improves lives at both the local and international levels, from helping those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. For more information, visit Rotary.org. To find a club near you visit https://my.rotary.org/en/club-search.
