On hearing that the Rotary Club of Noosa Heads was short several members for their special ‘Rotary International Eradication of Polio’ day Bunnings BBQ fundraiser, Mayor Clare Stewart and Councillor Karen Finzel offered their assistance.
Under somewhat trying heat conditions both stepped up to assist Rotarians in their endeavours to raise substantial funds through the sale of the very popular sausage snack. Working in a team atmosphere and attending to the continual requests of the Bunnings Shoppers the day turned out to be one of the most successful the Rotary Club of Noosa Heads has experienced.
Once a month this Rotary Club uses the opportunity offered by Bunnings as one of its many fundraising events for various causes within the local area, Qld Rotary District ( which includes Papua-New Guinea and some Pacific Islands ) and Rotary International’s World Wide programs, such as the eradication of Polio.
Rotary commenced in 1905 and spread across the World, seeking out areas of need. In 1921 Rotary came to Australia where it was enthusiastically received. Noting that between 1946 and 1955 Poliomyelitis killed twice as many Australian children as any other childhood disease, Rotary, through the efforts of Nambour Club Rotarian Clem Renouf ( later Sir Clem ), set up the largest public health program the world had ever seen, known as ‘POLIO PLUS’. Some six million children of the Philippines were immunised from 1979 on and by 1985 this program had become the major program for Rotary International. Hence the Rotary Club of Noosa Heads’ fundraising focus and its appreciation of the very able assistance given by Noosa’s Mayor Clare and Councillor Karen. The Club also thanks all those supporters and lovers of a good sausage sizzle.
The effectiveness of Polio Plus is reflected in India being declared Polio Free in 2013 and 47 Countries in Africa by 2020. Rotary provided over $1.3 Billion and countless volunteer hours to this program.
