Evening time meeting - ZOOM Meeting commencing at 7.00pm our speaker will be Colin Powell on living with Polio

On Thursday 26th August 2021 President Brian Johnson. took the chair as he welcomed 13 Club Rotarians and guest speaker Rotarian Colin Powell to this evening meeting held by ZOOM.

There were 7 apologies for nonattendance.

President Brian Johnson had the pleasure of introducing. Colin Powell who fell ill with polio in 1949 when aged just 6 months old. An innocent swimming trip with father turned into paralysing his life. The nastiness of polio is the same now as it was then.

In 2009, Colin joined Radlett Rotary Club after delivering a talk and is now joining a new aspect of Rotary as a Purple4Polio ambassador. Due to his experiences, he is both passionate and committed to Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign. Colin not only promotes the global eradication of polio, but also supports those, like himself, suffering the horrendously of Post-Polio Syndrome with the British Polio Fellowship.

He says he can do anything that he wants to do in this life if he wanted to do it badly enough. Otherwise, polio has provided him with a built-in excuse. you have one visit to this planet, so it’s up to you whether or not you waste your journey here. His life has been a struggle full of a multiplicity of physical challenges, but on the other hand nobody promised him an easy ride. Rotary must win their End Polio Now campaign battle, to ensure that no child born today must suffer throughout their lives like himself and all the other multi-millions of remaining polio survivors throughout the world. Colin already holds the office of Rotary Liaison Ambassador from the British Polio Fellowship. Now in his dual ambassadorial role, he is in a unique position to ensure the aspirations of both Rotary and the British Polio Fellowship work in harmony.

His ultimate wish is to see a world free from such a cruel disease and that no child born in the future will have to experience a lifetime of suffering as a polio survivor. Since Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative just over 30 years ago, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99.99%, from about 350,000 cases a year in 125 countries to just 22 cases in 2017. To sustain this progress and protect all children from polio, kindly, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will match Rotary’s $50 million per year commitment 2:1. Colin is among eight other Rotary ambassadors. The majority have witnessed polio first-hand but they all have a shared vision to immunise every child and protect them from the dreadful disease. 

The Rotary vote of thanks was given by President Brian Johnson.

We further discussed the forthcoming fundraiser on the 3rd of October from 2-5pm which will be our vintage afternoon tea to be held at Studio8 in Glenrothes with singing and dance routines.

This coming week at 7pm on Thursday 2^nd September will be an evening meeting at Gilvenbank Hotel with a meal. This being our first meeting since Covid struck will be a social evening to give new members the opportunity of meeting the other Rotarians face to face.

If you were interested in supporting the community and international projects get in touch by Private message on The Rotary Club of Glenrothes Facebook page. You will be made most welcome.