June 2021 Newsletter
Greetings Polio Warriors:
- Wild Polio Virus - OK, we can all collectively EXHALE, as I can report to you once again…NO NEW CASES this last week .
- Vaccine-Derived Polio - Last week saw an increase in vaccine-derived polio cases: five in DR Congo, three in Madagascar and one each in Burkina Faso, Congo, Guinea and Mali.However, the case in Mali occurred in 2020, but is just being reported now. That brings us to 96 total cases for the year, compared to 122 at this time last year. 6 positive environmental samples of the vaccine-derived poliovirus were also discovered, two in Liberia, two in Tajikistan and oneeach in Pakistan and Madagascar.
So without further ado here is a profile of our first project;
Flagstaff Rotary Club-Handwashing Stations-Cost $3325-Impact-400+ individuals
While many Rotarians wonder how this might qualify as an international service project, it’s important to remember that these Reservations are Sovereign Nations, with their own government, school systems and police force, and Flagstaff President Carla Viola provided all the details about this COVID 19 solution.
Women Leaders in Polio Eradication: Ellyn Ogden
On Ellyn Ogden’s desk sits a decades old coffee mug. It has a special significance for the woman who has led polio eradication for the US Agency for International Development (USAID) since 1997. On the mug, are ten women, the Ladies in Polio, who at the time were the only women participating in GPEI meetings, and only 2 of them were in leadership positions. Ellyn takes her status as a leader in polio eradication seriously and by her actions demonstrates commitment, determination and the need to engage women at all levels of GPEI. As an epidemiologist, public health practitioner and trained ’devil’s advocate’ Ellyn oversees what is cumulatively a $1.3 Billion investment, spanning 30 countries and covering all aspects of polio eradication from surveillance to communication to containment to NGO and civil society engagement. She is the only female member of the European Certification Commission for polio eradication.
Ellyn’s motto “Don’t ask anyone to do something you won’t do yourself” has led her to spend countless hours in the field, monitoring campaigns in over a dozen countries, participating in surveillance review, visiting laboratories, and listening closely to people inside and outside of GPEI to gain perspective and deeper understanding of the communities and operating environment where GPEI needs to succeed. One of Ellyn’s most notable contributions to polio eradication was negotiating ceasefires in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which opened access to vaccinate millions of children. She later received USAID’s award for Heroism in 2008. Ellyn’s vast field experience combined with her ability to challenge approaches or assumptions, often through a gender perspective, gives her an important edge when pushing for progress.
- The total number of donors
- Percentage of number of donors compared to number of club members as of July 1, 2020
- The average dollars donated per member, again using July 1, 2020 membership data
- Total dollars donated
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- Lily Grace Steenhard, Queen Creek’s Casteel High School – Lily is considering political science studies.
- Aris Ahu, Chandler’s Hamilton High School – Aris is considering information technology studies.
- The Club’s 2021 Vocational Scholarship was awarded to Adrianna Camacho, Chandler High School - Adrianna is considering nursing studies.
Our speaker via Zoom on May 6, was Howard Stephen Berg who is recognized as the world’s fastest reader thanks to the cut- ting edge accelerated learning techniques he developed that turn information overload into information assets. Respected internationally for his contribution to the learning process, he is listed in the 1990 Guinness Book of World Records for reading more than 25,000 words a minute and writing more than 100 words a minute. Howard uses his talents to train you on how to stay on top of the information your success depends upon.
A graduate of S.U.N.Y., Binghamton, he majored in Biology and then completed a four-year Psychology program in one year. His graduate studies at several New York City colleges focused on the Psychology of reading. He is the spokes-person for the SONY E-Reader along with Justin Timberlake, Peyton Manning, and Amy Sedaris. He is also a featured guest on Fox News, and Fox Business News with Neil Cavuto. He launched the 4G network for Optus, the second largest phone company in Australia. He has appeared on over 1,100 radio and television programs including Neil Cavuto, Jon Stewart, and Live With Regis. Maybe you saw him with Justin Timberlake & Peyton Manning as Sony's E-Reader spokesperson, or on Cavuto completing the 1,500 page health care bill in just 50 minutes. Missed it? Go to www.WatchHowardRead.com