Polio Plus Update

This Rotary Year we have an outstanding Polio Committee, with members that represent the four Regions and twelve Groups in our district.  Contact information for members of the District Polio Plus Committee is attached.  
 
It has been almost 38 years since Rotary International and its partners began fighting the good fight to eradicate this horrible disease.  The good news is that we are in the last mile to End Polio Forever!!!  When we started in 1985 there were 350,000 cases of paralytic Polio in the world every year.  Today, since January 1st we have had just 7 cases in two countries, Pakistan - 2cases and Afghanistan - 5 cases.  Both of these countries have been very cooperative with the GPEI Team.  Vaccinators are being allowed to go into remote areas of the countries to vaccinate the children.
 
We have a few goals that we would like to accomplish this Rotary year.
  • Reach out to DPPC members and have them come to your club and do a program on Polio.
  • The Rotary Foundation goal is $1,500 or more from each club to Polio Plus.  Please contribute what you can to help our district reach that goal.
  • Have members of your club join the Polio Plus Society.  We have had this program in our district since 2018.  It is a terrific way to raise money and for club members to feel they really are doing something to help eradicate Polio.  I have attached the pledge form.  Complete the form and we will take care of the rest.
  • There is a new program called the Kennel Klub, started by PDG Greg Owen in honor of his dog, Mollie.  You can donate the money to Polio Plus, become a member of the Polio Plus Society and your dog will be named. See the attached flyer.
  • World Polio Day is October 24th.  It was started to honor Dr. Jonas Salk.
  • We would like to see your club do something to honor this man and this day in your club.  Hold a Polio bike ride, walk, run or a dinner, take the money raised and donate it to Polio Plus. You will find information on World Polio Day on the RI Website under Polio Plus.
 
Club Presidents and members, have a great year and please reach out to us for anything to do with Polio.
 
Yours in Rotary Friendship,
 
Jim Lewis
PP RC of Moorpark
D 5240 Polio Plus Chair
Phone:  818 399-9870
Polio Plus Update Jim Lewis D 5240 Polio Plus Chair 2023-09-21 07:00:00Z 0

The Plus in PolioPlus

Posted by Michael O'Doherty
A horse comes into a bar, the bartender yells at Hey!!....and the Horse says “Absolutely” …HAHAHA
 
The Polio Plus program.
 
If you look on the RI Website it’s a little grey as to when the Polio Plus program became a separate choice on the RI Foundation contribution paperwork, but it does show that Rotary International launched PolioPlus in 1985 and, with the World Health Organization is a founding member of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988.
 
The “Plus” in PolioPlus means that Rotarians are doing more than stopping the spread of polio in the last countries with reported cases. They also are building a legacy of infrastructure and partnerships that will support the fight against the infectious disease long after polio is gone.  For example, sometimes people would say to the Rotarians who were passing out the medicine “Great you have protected me from polio, but I can’t get clean water” so Rotarians started returning and helping get needed work and repairs done, along with fighting polio.
 
In 2017, Rotary’s Centennial Year there was a major push to eliminate polio now; that is when I think the choice to direct your RI Foundation gift to polio specifically was listed as a choice on the donation form. The idea was and is still to get every Rotarian to donate $100 RI Foundation (EREY – Every Rotarian Every Year.)
 
That year the challenging goal to raise $300 million was created, (it did happen). The next year was to reach $360 million with Polio and the Annual Fund as the two major pushes. PolioPlus was to raise $150 million (to be used only for Polio eradication) and the Annual Fund was to raise $135 million. Not sure if it came together, but it began the idea of PolioPlus as being a separate and specific thing all by itself.
 
Now, you must make it known to your Club’s Foundation Treasurer that you want the funds directed to PolioPlus, or it will default to the Annual Fund. You can also have her split it between the two.
 
In our Club the hope is each person will donate a minimum of $250 per year to the foundations, with $150 designated to the BBRC Foundation and $100 to The Rotary Foundation.  You can tell Mindy if you want any into the PolioPlus or into the Annual Fund. You can also donate online directly to The Rotary Foundation. Please let Mindy (the club foundation treasurer) know if you do this.
 
For more information on PolioPlus, see this story on the Rotary website.
 
The Plus in PolioPlus Michael O'Doherty 2022-01-19 08:00:00Z 0

Recognizing Members

Little did Temo Lopez know when he accepted the job of Sergeant at Arms for Dave Spalinger that he would have a multi-term assignment as Digital Production-meister for the club.  With Temo's help BBRC provides one of the best Zoom meeting experiences for members, guests, and speakers in the District. Temo's partner in production is Dan Johnson.  Rockin' Dan, who is successfully undergoing cancer treatment set up the club for amazing audio - Zoomers can hear speakers and members; meeting attendees can hear the Zoomers. A hooray for Dan!
Temo is the owner of Bakersfield Bytes at 3119 19th St. Bakersfield. (661-496-5900; support@bakersfieldbytes.com)  Bakersfield Bytes handles home and business computing and repair needs.
 
Thank you Temo and Dan!
 
 
This first edition of Recognizing Members is not complete with giving a BIG shout out to Beacon Scribe Frank Wooldridge. Frank has volunteered as the primary writer for the Beacon for almost three years, RARELY missing a meeting so he can be sure and provide you with an energetic and informative column.
Member picture
Frank works at Young Wooldridge LLP where he handles Public Relations and Investigations.
 
Thank you Frank!
Recognizing Members Kay Pitts 2021-10-20 07:00:00Z 0

Bakersfield Downtown Fall Overhaul

After a postponement for a week due to air quality from winds, BBRC'ers joined the Keep Bakersfield Beautiful and CityServe Crowd to improve downtown Bakersfield aesthetics on October 2, 2021. Thank you to our small, but productive crew led by Community Service Director Athena Collup. Thank you Pres Jeff Haynes, Will Duerksen, Denise Haynes, 
Mike O'Doherty
 and friends.
 
Bakersfield Downtown Fall Overhaul 2021-10-02 07:00:00Z 0

UN International Day of Peace, Sept 21

Bakersfield College Peace Initiative hosted a seminar on the annual United Nations International Day of Peace on September 21, 2021. You are invited to enjoy all or part of this 41-minute virtual seminar on YouTube. It features a panel of local peacemakers sharing their perspectives on how to foster a more peaceful world including 
Dr. Sonya Christian - Kern Community College District Chancellor,
Dr. Kathleen Murphy -Pediatric ICU physician at Valley Children's Hospital,
Dr. Portia Choi -physician and poet,
Karen Goh- Mayor of Bakersfield,
Traco Matthews - community leader,
Neeraj Rama, Gandhi Committee for Truth and Nonviolence,
with musical performances from the Bakersfield College Choir. 
 
UN International Day of Peace, Sept 21 Kay Pitts 2021-09-21 07:00:00Z 0