Wakefield Rotarians Attend World Peace and Understanding Event

Last week, Wakefield Rotarians Carla Dale, Barbara Worley, and Jim Fitzgerald and his wife Ellen attended the Rotary District 7930's World Peace and Understanding Dinner to get an update on Rotary's international efforts to end polio. Held at Spinelli's in Lynnfield, the Chair of the International PolioPlus Committee at Rotary International, Mike McGovern of Maine, was the Keynote Speaker. His presentation, titled, "Navigating the Polio Vaccine During Turbulent Times" updated the local attendees on how Rotary and its international partners are moving through mixed feelings on vaccines. The event raised over ten thousand dollars to support eradication campaigns world-wide.

Rotarian Jim Fitzgerald said, "Keynote speaker Mike McGovern gave those in attendance hope and the assurance that Rotary forges onward in the global quest to eradicate Polio.” He added, “Having acknowledged that a degree of anti-vaccination sentiment exists in today's society, it has not diminished Rotary's resolve to improve lives through each vaccine administered to those who otherwise would remain susceptible to contracting this debilitating disease. "

According to Rotary’s polio educational website, “Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort.”

The Wakefield club has also raised over fifty thousand dollars towards for polio eradication and commemorates World Polio Day each October.

About Rotary International & Wakefield Rotary Club

Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. There are 1.2 million Rotarians in 160 countries worldwide. The first Rotary Club was founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1905 by an attorney named Paul Harris and several of his colleagues. The name “Rotary” was derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among each of the members’ offices. The Rotary motto is “Service above self”. The Wakefield Rotary Club meets each Tuesday at noon at Brightview on Crescent Street. For more information on the club's initiatives or to join the Wakefield Rotary Club, visit www.wakefieldrotaryclub.org or contact us at wakefieldrotaryclub@yahoo.com.