On Thursday, February 19, the Rotary Club of Tsawwassen hosted its annual 'Meal to End Polio', raising US$1,200 for End Polio Now.

 

Through a partnership initiative launched between the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Rotary International in 2013 as part of a bold campaign for polio eradication, this donation will be matched two-to-one by the Gates Foundation for a total of $3,600 raised.

With the cost to vaccinate a child in a Third World country a mere $0.60, this 'Meal to End Polio' will result in approximately 6,015 children being vaccinated against this debilitating disease.

The Rotary Club of Tsawwassen’s annual breakfast was hosted at the KinVillage Community Centre, with the venue rental provided courtesy of KinVillage and breakfast donated by Urban Village Catering at the KinVillage Café.

The breakfast event featured guest speaker Joan Toone, President of the Post Polio Awareness and Support Society of BC. Toone spoke passionately of the history to eradicate polio starting in the 1960's, the evolution of Rotary’s involvement and commitment to polio eradication starting in the early 1980's, and the importance of finishing the work.

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From left to right: Terry Toone, Rotarians Rick Lewall and Garry Shearer, Joan Toone - President of the Post Polio Awareness and Support Society of BC and Rotarians Leslie Abramson and John Charbonneau.