Are You a Polio Survivor?

Barrington Breakfast Rotary Club is seeking to identify polio survivors living in Barrington to honor at a September breakfast meeting.  Rotarians have successfully met the Gates Foundation challenge to raise the final $200 million in the End Polio Now campaign which began more than 20 years ago.  India has just celebrated its first year with no new polio cases identified. There are small pockets where the disease is still active in only four countries of the world---Rotary is "this close" to eradicating this devastating disease.

Rotary launched its polio eradication program in 1985, and in 1988 helped launch the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.  Rotary club members worldwide have contributed more than $1 billion and countless volunteer hours to the effort.

We want to recognize our local citizens who have suffered from this disease and celebrate that the the US has been polio free since 1979 , Europe since 2002, and India for one year; hopefully soon polio will never devastate another life.  

Tell us your story! In a letter 250 words or less tell us about your experience.

How old were you when the disease struck? What were the symptoms you first experienced? What was the course of your illness? How has polio affected your life?

Please mail your story to Barrington Breakfast Rotary Club,

Attention: Ron Hamelberg,

Post Office Box 1442, Barrington, IL 60011  by September 7th.

Respondents will receive an invitation to join us for breakfast in September.

Questions?  Contact Ron Hamelberg at

847 341 5086

Email: RonNan660@aol.com

On Friday, September 14, local Rotarians will be taking a bucket collection at the corner of Route 14 and Northwest Highway during morning and evening rush hours.  These funds will be donated to the Rotary Foundation Polio Plus fund in honor our of Barrington polio survivors.