Contact
How do we give service? Rotarians visiting to 'make up'. International Service Information about Joining Like to be kept informed?
Where we Meet Future Meetings & Events Completed Meetings & Events Local Events District Events Calendar
Join Us
Galleries Links & News The Club Team Privacy Policy

An event to mark World Polio Day

Thu, Oct 22nd 2020 at 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Saturday 24th October 2020 is World Polio Day and Rotary Clubs across the world traditionally hold an event on or about that day often involving some sort of Fundraising. We will be joining our parent club's meeting on 22nd October for their event.


Saturday 24th October 2020 is World Polio Day and Rotary Clubs across the world traditionally hold an event to mark the day often involving some sort of Fundraising to help the cause.

This year our parent club - Kilmarnock Rotary - are holding an event on Thursday 22nd October. 

The plan is for members, and their families firstly to have a meal in their own homes following which they will log on to Zoom for a recorded presentation of Joan Toone's talk to the Rotary Club of One World. Joan is both a Rotarian and a Polio survivor and a passionate advocate for Polio Eradication. 

At the time of her talk she was President of the Rotary Club of Victoria, Vancouver, Canada. It is one of the best presentations about Polio and its effects and it is easy to see why Rotarians have been so passionate about its eradication for the past 40 years.

On the fundraising side each attendee is asked to contribute whatever they can towards the cause and this will be matched by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on a 2 for 1 basis, i.e. for every £10 contributed by us the Foundation will add a further £20.

It is proposed that we attend the Kilmarnock event on 22nd October in place of our normal meeting on 18th October.

For information, further details on Joan are included here - 

Joan was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada and contracted polio during the 1951 epidemics. Her family moved to Victoria British Columbia where she married Terry in 1964.  They  have a son, a daughter and four grandchildren.  Thirty years after acute polio, Joan began to experience cold intolerance, muscle weakness and extreme fatigue.  She was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome which is an after-effect of polio.  She then began the long journey of surgeries and rehabilitation.
 
When Rotary International began their number one priority of eradicating polio, she became an avid supporter, speaking to Rotarians about polio and Post-Polio Syndrome.  Joan emphasizes the necessity of vaccines when speaking with younger people who often get conflicting information and presents herself as a first-hand example of what immunizations can prevent.
Joan deeply admires Rotary’s commitment to the children of our world.  Joan and Terry have worked for polio eradication for many years and feel privileged they will see the end of polio in this world very soon.  Joan says that to have been a small part of that is simply outstanding.
 
Joan is the President of the Post-Polio Society of British Columbia and the current President of the Rotary Club of Victoria, BC.  She is a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow and a Rotary Foundation Benefactor.  Joan has received a President’s Commendation and a District 5020 Award of Excellence.  She has received the Rotary Foundation District Service Award - twice.  Joan has also been presented with the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award and the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers. Joan and Terry were invited by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to participate in the World Polio Day 2017 Livestream Event in Seattle on 24 October.

This is the best End Polio Now story ever!  

We are very grateful to the Rotary Club of One World for sharing this video.

For those unable to attend our meeting the original video, from which Joane's presentation was shown, can be viewed here - https://youtu.be/vs7hG3FHdh8

'What We Do' Main Pages:

A brief overview of how Rotarians give service to their communities.

more  

Welcome

more  

Information about various Rotary International Charities which our members support.

more  

for potential and existing Rotarians

more  

.

more