• The Rotary Club of Linn County has set up a donation site for monetary contributions to donate to help Cedar Rapids area disaster relief efforts. If you personally or your club collectively would like to donate, please visit https://rotarylc.square.site/. There is a 2020 Derecho Relief section.
   
• The Rotary Club of Linn County is also collecting several items that are needed in the community, everything from toiletries to chain saw oil. For a delivery address, please contact Michelle Bell, at (319) 431-2755. Needed items are:
  • Drinking water,
  • Chain saw oil,
  • Two-cycle oil,
  • Chainsaw chains,
  • Diapers,
  • Baby wipes,
  • Formula,
  • Peanut butter,
  • Shelf stable food,
  • Tarps,
  • Coolers,
  • Flashlights,
  • Extension cords,
  • Toiletries,
  • Large trash bags,
  • Paper towels,
  • Batteries and
  • Feminine products.
     
• There is a specific interest in roofers and tree removal experts that are willing to travel to the area. There is both volunteer and paid work available. Currently, tree removal companies are quoting 90-120 days for removals. If you have connections to any roofing companies or tree removal companies, your help would be greatly needed!

Rotary and its GPEI partners celebrate a monumental achievement,
say global eradication of wild polio is possible
with the continued dedication and persistence of Rotarians.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on 25 August announced that transmission of the wild poliovirus has officially been stopped in all 47 countries of its African region. This is a historic and vital step toward global eradication of polio, which is Rotary’s top priority.

After decades of hard won gains in the region, Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) — WHO, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Gavi, the vaccine alliance — are proclaiming the milestone an achievement in public health. They offer it as proof that strong commitment, coordination, and perseverance can rid the world of polio.

The certification that the African region is free of wild poliovirus comes after the independent Africa Regional Certification Commission (ARCC) conducted thorough field verifications that confirmed no new cases and analyzed documentation of polio surveillance, immunization, and laboratory capacity by Cameroon, Central African Republic, Nigeria, and South Sudan. The commission had already accepted the documentation of the other 43 countries in the region.

The last cases of polio caused by the wild virus in the African region were recorded in Nigeria’s northern state of Borno in August 2016, after two years with no cases. Conflict, along with challenges in reaching mobile populations, had hampered efforts to immunize children there.

Now that the African region is free of wild poliovirus, five of WHO’s six regions, representing more than 90 percent of the world’s population, are now free of the disease. Polio caused by the wild virus is still endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, in the WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean region.

More Info

Only 12% of women in Afghanistan are considered literate. The Zabuli Education Center is one of the few successful schools for girls that is working to change that sad statistic. The Wheels of Hope Project is an important support to expanding educational opportunities for girls and creating safety. This work is inspired by  Razia Jan, last year’s District Conference keynote speaker and founder of the school.

1. Here is the link to our Go Fund Me Page. This is the easiest way to used a credit or debit card. There is a small processing fee that you can choose to pay for. charity.gofundme.com/razias-wheels-of-hope 

2. You can also donate by check, payable to Rotary Works Foundation, Wheels of Hope in the memo, and mail to Jodi Widuch, 2555 Edgewood Pl., La Crosse, WI 54601 

3. Link to our campaign materials that summarize the project.

 Your donations are tax deductible, even if given through the Go Fund Me page.

Questions? Contact Jodi Widuch: jodiwiduch@theparentingplace.net

Honorary Membership  is offered to members who have distinguished themselves by meritorious service in the furtherance of Rotary ideals.Unlike other membership categories that can be requested by the member, Honorary Membership is bestowed upon a member by election from the Board of Directors.   View Honorary Membership Policy.

Excused Membership is offered to members if the aggregate of the member’s years of age and years of membership in one or more clubs is 85 years or more, the member has been a member of one or more clubs for at least 20 years, and the member has notified the club's secretary in writing of the member’s desire to be excused from attendance  and the board has approved.  Excused Members will pay the quarterly dues and only for meals when they attend a meeting.

Membership Proposals....we will no longer ask for three references when you propose a new member.  This was a criteria that our club had set not RI.  This will help us process new members into our club more efficiently.  You can access the membership proposal form online, under the Club Information site page.