Fight continues for district governor and polio survivor
By Ryan Hyland
Rotary International News - 18 January 2008
Photography by Monika Lozinska-Lee/Rotary Images
Polio survivor and District 1980 Governor Urs Herzog, of Switzerland, attends the 2008 International Assembly. His goal is to energize Rotarians back home for the fight to eradicate polio.
To physician and polio survivor Urs Herzog, polio is personal.
The current governor of District 1980 (Switzerland) is at the International Assembly in San Diego this week preparing to serve a second term, after the district governor-elect became unable to serve. Herzog said he would like nothing more than to see Rotary help eradicate polio. The announcement of Rotary’s US$100 Million Challenge during a plenary session on Wednesday reinforced his commitment to ending the disease. “I want all the members in my district involved in this challenge.”
He has already anchored a multidistrict PolioPlus Partners fundraising campaign in Switzerland. In partnership with districts 1990 (Switzerland) and 2000 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein), Herzog plans to raise more than $90,000 during the next six months for immunizations in India. He has asked each Swiss Rotarian and Rotaractor to donate at least $10 to the campaign.
Herzog admits that the goals set by RI President-elect Dong Kurn Lee and The Rotary Foundation are challenging but important. “We are planting the seeds to finally eradicate polio.”
When he returns home from San Diego, Herzog anticipates his clubs will be more energized than before. “We have a great opportunity to do something very special,” he said. “And I believe Swiss Rotarians will give a 100 percent effort.”