Newport & Maysville Rotary Fight Polio

Newport Rotary and Maysville Rotary held a joint meeting in Maysville on Tuesday evening to participate in a global fundraising effort for Polio Eradication. Suzanne Rea of Australia, Founder of The World's Greatest Meal to Help End Polio was the guest speaker. By the end of the evening, less than 15 Rotarians in two small, rural Eastern North Carolina Rotary clubs had combined to fund over $1,500 for Polio Eradication efforts!

Rea's message, that any Rotarian with a passion can make a difference with global impact, resonated with the participants in the room. Over $500 in personal and club contributions were raised, and those funds were then matched by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for a 2 for 1 Match. The result, impact equates to over 1,000 doses of polio vaccine in the fight against Polio.

Thanks to PDG Nancy Barbee for arranging for the fantastic speaker. Newport Rotarians attending were Pres. Joe Garner, PDG Bevin Wall, Pam Wall, Rick Moreau, Anita Moreau and Rotary prospective member Sue Hogan. We had run there and on the ride up and back!

(Clockwise from top right, click to enlarge photo) Suzanne Rea accepts check from Newport Rotary prospect Sue Hogan, Rea addresses group at Maysville Elementary School, NRC Rotarians Anita & Rick Moreau give personally to the effort, with Rea and District Governor Vanessa Ervin, NRC Pres. Joe Garner presents $250 club check to the effort to Rea and Ervin, Group presentation by Rea, Pres. Joe, Rea and PDG Bevin Wall with club banner, Rea with Moreaus looking on, Pres. Joe with banner and Rea, Hogan and Pam Wall look on, final group pose of (most) attendees.