Spread the word about the Gates Foundation challenge grant

Rotary International News - 28 November 2007

Rotarians are strongly encouraged to share the news of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s US$100 million challenge grant to Rotary International with their local media. Rotary has pledged to match the Gates grant dollar for dollar over the next three years, which will provide a much needed total of US$200 million to intensify the push to finish polio.

Here are four tools that can help publicize this shared commitment:

Press release - You can tailor this release to your own community by describing your club or district polio eradication activities, submitting photos of local participation in National Immunization Days, or including comments from local Rotary leaders pledging continued support for this vital effort.
PolioPlus Headliner Kit and fact sheet - Though not specific to the Gates Foundation grant, this resource can be used by clubs to publicize polio eradication. The kit contains a sample news feature, a press release, an opinion piece, and a letter to the editor, all easily adapted to local communities. (For additional languages, please e-mail pr@rotary.org)
Public service announcements - Designed for print and broadcast media, the PSAs are an effective supplement to the news release and op-ed piece. These PSAs focus on Rotary’s commitment to finish polio and can be easily localized by adding information about club or district eradication efforts and club contact information. Many clubs have members who work in the local media or have strong media contacts. These Rotarians can often place PSAs with their communities’ newspapers and television and radio stations.

The challenge grant is one of the largest ever made by the Gates Foundation and is a tremendous validation of the approach and success of Rotary’s PolioPlus program. By getting the word out to the media and public about the grant, Rotarians can help keep the momentum going in the global battle to rid the world of polio once and for all.

13 Comments:

At 9:15AM on 5 February 2009, Mike Melton wrote: Great article

At 1:29PM on 6 August 2008, Robert Turner wrote: This is what Rotary is all about...a promise made is a promise kept..

At 1:15PM on 7 May 2008, Donna Wilson wrote: Incredible, wonderfu news.

At 8:14AM on 16 April 2008, Kim Hamilton wrote: I hope that we can eradicate Polio very soon. It is a wonderful thing that Rotary has done for this world. Hopefully we will wipe it completely off the face of this earth once and for all. Thanks to Bill and Melinda Gates for their support and hopefully more organizations will join our cause.

At 9:11AM on 15 April 2008, Dorothy Coffey wrote: I am glad to learn that Rotary has joined forces with the United Nations to educate Muslims regarding the safety of the polio vaccine.

At 9:07AM on 15 April 2008, Dorothy Coffey wrote: I am so proud to be part of an organization that would undertake the daunting task of eradicating polio in the world - and then do it! As a child, I remember friends and acquaintances who suffered with polio, and now most people have not seen first hand how devastating polio can be. Kudos to Rotary and Bill Gates!

At 10:16AM on 12 March 2008, Charles Buzzard wrote: I just returned from the NID in Nigeria. We immunized a great number of children with the help of the local Rotarians. We still have a way to go. Nigerian Rotarians are dedicated to eradicating POLIO. Great job, you stould try one of these trips.

At 9:11AM on 4 February 2008, Kathleen Relyea wrote: May God bless Bill & Melinda Gates for sharing their wealth to assist Rotary International in their effort to help erradicate Polio.

At 10:09AM on 6 December 2007, Eleazar U. Ikpegbu wrote: This is the best that can happen to rotarians worldwide! We must preach the gospel of polio eradication in communities and nations

At 9:30AM on 5 December 2007, Daudi Kaliisa, Los osos RC CA wrote: As Rotarians we have a good precedent to rely on. This last mile is the toughest but also the most rewarding to persevere for. Bill Gates' challenge is a reminder to all Rotarians that we cannot sit back and relax instead we need to gather all our efforts to defeat polio once and for all. I also want to sound warning that as we get to close to defeating polio we need to also take a closer look safe water and adequate sanitation for the world with the same focus and stamina as we have done with polio. We cannot stand alone when about 1.1 billion people are without safe drinking water, when In the Asia/Pacific region; 627 million people are still without access to safe water. Fellow Rotarians, we can do it! So let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work. GO ROTARY!

At 3:56PM on 3 December 2007, Dear CD wrote: we all are proud about gates confidence in rotary foundation . we will spread the news through our mailing network,business network and club activities. The guidelines given is really a useful tools toprmote rotary achievements

At 2:33PM on 3 December 2007, Hari Om Shrestha, RC Patn West, Nepal wrote: First similar challenge was met with success exceeeding it. We Rotarians will do again. Rotary is global family of Rotarian and people touched by Rotary .

At 10:39AM on 3 December 2007, Rtn. R. Sundararajan wrote: These kind of Donations to RI clearly shows the importance of Polio Eradication and gives enormous strength to Rotarian to work hard in the field.

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