In honor of World Polio Day, October 24, the Rotary Clubs of Ajijic and Chapala Sunrise are jointly organizing a fundraising dinner as part of Rotary’s mission to eradicate the crippling childhood disease.
The dinner is scheduled Friday, October 27, 5-8 p.m. in the ballroom of Hotel Real de Chapala. All proceeds go to the Rotary Foundation Stop Polio Fund.
Polio is a paralyzing and potentially fatal disease. The virus invades the nervous system and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours. Though it can strike at any age, mainly children under five are affected.
Rotary International’s charitable arm, the Rotary Foundation, has fought to eradicate polio for more than 30 years. Rotary has contributed nearly US$1.2 billion and countless volunteer hours to the protection of more than two billion children in 122 countries. The disease remains endemic in three countries; Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan, although other countries remain at risk for imported cases.
As there is no cure for polio, the best protection is prevention. For as little as US$60 cents’ worth of vaccine, a child can be protected against this crippling disease for life. After an international investment of more than US$9 billion, and the successful engagement of over 200 countries and 20 million volunteers, polio could be the first human disease of the 21st century to be eradicated.
Every dollar Rotary commits to polio eradication is matched two-to-one by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation up to US$35 million a year through 2018.
For further information about the October 27 fundraiser and where to purchase tickets, contact Anita Hocker at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (376) 766-2410.