A Newsletter of The Rotary Foundation

Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Itzhak Perlman in Concert to End Polio

Rotary International is teaming up with violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman and members of the world-renowned Chicago Symphony Orchestra to present a Concert to End Polio at Symphony Center in Chicago, 7 March 2011. All proceeds from the event will benefit Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge.

Perlman contracted polio at age four and overcame serious physical challenges to become one of the world’s most recognized musicians. The benefit concert marks his only Chicago appearance this season. To purchase tickets for the concert and an intimate reception afterward, call 312-294-3000 or go to www.cso.org. For more information about the concert, please go to www.rotary.org/endpolioconcert.

More than 120,000 school children in RI District 3020 (part of Andhra Pradesh, India) joined together to raise US$115,000 for Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge. Mobilized by Rotary clubs, the students obtained donations from parents, neighbors, and others in their communities.

Kishore Cherukumalli, 2009-10 governor of District 3020, came up with the project idea, believing that the public should participate in and contribute to making India polio-free. The effort spread public awareness of both polio eradication and Rotary.

“People started telephoning Rotarians [to say] that they were hitherto not aware of the good work done by Rotary,” says Rotary Foundation Trustee Ashok Mahajan. “The management of the schools that the Rotarians approached were more than willing to be our partner and thanked Rotary for giving them the opportunity to contribute to the cause. Parents called Rotarians to know more about Rotary, some showing interest to join Rotary.”

Two festive music night fundraisers organized by Rotarians netted an additional $30,000 for the challenge.

Ray Klinginsmith (second from right), 2009-10 RI president-elect, receives a $30,000 contribution to Rotary’s challenge in April from Rotarians in India, including RI Director K.R. Ravindran (third from left) and 2009-10 District Governor Cherukumalli (far left).

More than 600 Chicago-area Rotarians, relatives, friends, and RI staff turned out for  Strike Out Polio: Rotary Day at Wrigley Field on 25 May to see the Chicago Cubs baseball team play the Los Angeles Dodgers. On the mound for the ceremonial first pitch: 15-year-old Joshua Kim, who contributed $1,300 to Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge. The event itself raised more than $10,000 for the challenge.

“It was a great moment for me,” Joshua said. “I was given a very special opportunity by Rotary, and I am very thankful.” Read the full story.

Bagpiper Tina Yap, of the Rotary Club of Metropolitan Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, leads members of the Polio Survivors Network, riding electric scooters, on the Walk to End Polio in Honolulu in March. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Honolulu Sunset, the event drew participation from hundreds of Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors, polio survivors, and others, raising more than $10,000 for Rotary’s challenge.

•   President Laurent Gbagbo of Côte d’Ivoire contributed US$36,000 to Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge.

•   At its annual conference in April, District 5050 (parts of British Columbia, Canada, and Washington, USA) raised US$15,400 for Rotary’s challenge through the sale of a T-shirt signed by Bill Gates, 2009-10 RI President John Kenny, 2009-10 RI President-elect Ray Klinginsmith, and Past RI President D.K. Lee. Sales of a birdhouse and End Polio Now bumper stickers garnered another $1,172.

•   Seven Rotary clubs in District 5170 (California, USA) sponsored a joint fundraiser with the musical comedy group Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours, raising $10,500 for Rotary’s challenge.

 •   The Rotary Club of Vashon Island, Washington, USA, netted $6,135 for the challenge in a fundraiser that featured an iron lung exhibit and two guest speakers from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: Jenny Sorensen, senior program officer, and Dr. William Foege, senior adviser.

•   The Rotaract Club of Hamilton-McMaster, Ontario, Canada, raised about US$3,800 for the challenge through the sale of specially designed polio eradication buttons and a fundraiser featuring a dinner, keynote speech by polio survivor and author Janice Nichols, Bollywood dance group, silent auction, and raffle.

•    $60 — 100 doses of oral polio vaccine
•   $100 — 200 posters promoting immunization
•    $250 — 500 aprons to identify health workers, volunteers, and vaccinators
•    $500 — 4,000 finger markers to identify children immunized
•   $1,000 — 700 vaccine carriers

Rotarians, Rotaractors, and Interactors are urged to share their fundraising success stories on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter so others can get ideas for their clubs.

Join the official End Polio Now cause page on Facebook. You can make a donation to support polio eradication, invite others to be a part of the cause, and keep track of the number of people you've recruited.

Watch polio eradication videos and public service announcements on the Rotary International YouTube channel, and include the link on your Rotary club or district website.

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If you have a success story, please e-mail us at rotary's200millionchallenge@rotary.org.

Popular TV host, entertainer, and jazz musician Götz Alsmann, of the Rotary Club of Münster-Himmelreich, Germany, hosted an end polio benefit concert featuring the Bochum Symphony Orchestra, which raised about US$80,000 for Rotary’s challenge. The May event, organized by several Rotary clubs in District 1900, drew 1,200 attendees, including Norbert Lammert, president of the German Parliament, as guest of honor.

For the latest on the number of polio cases, progress reports on polio-endemic countries, and other information, go to www.polioeradication.org.

Clubs and districts can order the following tools and resources online at http://shop.rotary.org or from Publications Order Services (e-mail: shop.rotary@rotary.org; tel.: 847-866-4600; fax: 847-866-3276); or the international office serving their area.

•  End Polio Now calendar — See historic landmarks illuminated with the End Polio Now logo in the new 2010-11 End Polio Now calendar. This stunning wall calendar spans 18 months, beginning July 2010 through December 2011, and is available in English, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. (961, US$15)

•   End Polio Now postcards — The postcard features the End Polio Now logo on one side with a brief description of the history and progress of Rotary’s global polio eradication efforts on the reverse. Cards measure 6 x 9 inches (15 x 23 centimeters) and are available in English, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. Sold in sets of 20. (979, $1/set of 20)

• Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge DVD(985) provides an overview of Rotary's continuing efforts to eradicate polio and the fundraising initiative to match the Gates Foundation grants. (US$15)
• Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge brochure (986) describes Rotary's commitment to finish polio and encourages support for the challenge. (Free)
• Amazing Stories of Polio!  (976) is a 16-page illustrated history of the disease and the eradication effort. ($0.75)
• PolioPlus Headliner Kit  (Web only) contains a sample news feature, a press release, an opinion piece, and a letter to the editor, all easily adaptable in local communities to promote global polio eradication.
• Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge poster (987) encourages participation in the challenge. Suitable for display at meetings, fundraisers, and other events. (Free, limit two per order)
• End Polio Now Pins  (988) help raise awareness of the eradication effort. (Available in lots of 100 for $50)

To donate directly to Rotary's challenge, go to www.rotary.org/endpolio.

Donors in the United States and Canada can automatically transfer funds electronically from their checking, savings, or credit card accounts by enrolling in TRF-DIRECT. Once enrolled, donors can contribute to PolioPlus to support Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge.

Watch polio eradication videos and public service announcements on the Rotary International YouTube channel and include the link on Rotary club and district Web sites.

Click here to find fundraising tips and ideas.

Join The Rotary Foundation's End Polio Now cause page on Facebook. Make a donation to support polio eradication, invite others to be part of the cause, and keep track of how many people you've recruited.