Five Questions
Five Questions with Dennis Wilson of the Saratoga Springs Rotary Club.
1 Who are you?
I am Dennis Wilson, a retired businessman and a member of the Saratoga Springs Rotary Club for many years. Currently, I’m managing our club’s fundraising project to help eradicate polio from the world. We’re taking orders for a dozen long-stem roses for $20, half of which goes to Rotary International’s “End Polio Now” campaign.
2 What is Rotary’s history in fighting polio?
Rotary International has been working to eliminate polio since 1985. Only three countries still have the wild poliovirus — Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan — though 60 countries are still considered high-risk. Since Rotary started the effort, more than one million worldwide Rotarians have donated $1.6 billion, helping to reduce polio cases 99.9 percent and immunizing over 2.5 billion children in 122 countries.
3 Who else is involved in polio eradication?
It’s a partnership: Rotary, UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and governments and citizens of the world. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the largest private funding source and matches all donations to Rotary for polio two-to-one, up to $35 million per year. In fact, Bill Gates will be speaking at the annual Rotary International conference in mid-June in Atlanta.
4 Why is eliminating polio important?
Without our help, thousands of children in the world will succumb to polio’s life-changing forces. It is a paralyzing and potentially fatal disease that is completely vaccine-preventable. While most Americans don’t think of polio as a health problem any longer due to our immunization practices, for many of the world’s poorest citizens, polio still cripples dreams. Until it is eradicated, it threatens us all.
5 How can local residents help rid the world of polio?
People can help by purchasing one dozen red roses for $20 for family, friends, service providers, and colleagues. We’re taking orders through June 7 and the roses can be picked up at Longfellows restaurant on Wednesday, June 14 from noon to 2 p.m. People can order by calling me at (518) 650-5242. People can also help by becoming informed and spreading the word about Rotary’s fight against polio at www.endpolio.org.