December 4, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 5 Area Cole discusses 34-year polio elimination effort Doctor James Cole recently addressed the Sunset Rotary Club of Glen Rock, Paramus, and Ridgewood. Cole spoke about the progress of the PolioPlus Program. In 1979, Rotary Clubs took on a project to buy and help deliver polio vaccine to more than six million chil- dren in the Philippines. In 1985, Rotary International launched PolioPlus, the first and largest internationally coordinated private-sector support of a public health initiative, with an initial pledge of $120 million. In 1988, Rotarians raised $247 million for PolioPlus, more than double their fundrais- ing goal. Dr. James Cole (right) is greeted by Sunset Rotary Club Pres- The World Health ident Tom Shea. Assembly passed a resolu- tion to eradicate polio, setting up the launch icate polio. Millions more children need of the Global Polio Eradication Initia- to be immunized in order to defeat polio, tive. More than 125 countries were polio- donations are still needed. Over one mil- endemic at the time. lion Rotarians around the world support the As of today, Rotarians have helped PolioPlus program and will continue to do immunize over two billion children in so until every country on earth is free of 122 countries, eradicating polio in every the disease. country except Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Rotary, the oldest philanthropic organi- Nigeria. Recently, there have been new zation in the world, has 1.25 million mem- incidences of the disease in Syria, Somalia, bers in 34,000 clubs in 175 countries. To Kenya, and Ethiopia. learn more, contact President Tom Shea In the past three years, the Bill and at (201) 447-4215 (topofthemorning@att. Melinda Gates Foundation has contributed net) or Membership Chair Steve Wolf- generously to the program, having donated erman at (201) 483-7193 (Stephen_L_ $355 million so far toward the fight to erad- wolferman@ml.com).