Where is everyone else?
What’s the bet youse young people and tech-savy active seniors are social-distantly interacting like crazy on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Zoom, Slype etc and think you’re having a great ol’ pandemic virtual party, leaving Eddie and The Editor here at The Bulletin with the Remington typewriter, the Gestetner 230, the Hecla jug, the Pablo instant coffee and the mournful chirping of the last cricket in town?
Well let me tell you something!…The Bulletin might be seen by some as heritage media and maybe we here aren’t so flash and fancy…and maybe we don’t know our memes from our Messenger or our hashtags from our https…and maybe sometimes our font size can vary a little and yes, sometimes there is (are?) occsiaonl typos or repetition but (and that’s a big but) we don’t capture your personal information and we don’t try and sell you stuff and we don’t try and sell you stuff and when it comes to publicising something, we are willing to consider any risible request!
Here’s a little something from Eddie to take your mind off the maths of exponential infection:
Three friends were charged a total of $30 for an overnight stay at a local hotel.
After they left the admission office, the manager realised he had overcharged his clients by $5 and sent his son to their room with the refund.
His son could not work out how much to give each client so gave them $1 each and pocketed $2.
So each client paid $9 each (total $27) plus the son had $2 giving a total of $29.
Who has the $1?
Eddification
Rotary and the Gates Foundation are extending their funding match and Rotary and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are renewing their partnership to end polio.
Under the agreement, Rotary is committed to raising $50 million a year over the next three years, and each dollar will be matched with an additional two dollars by the Gates Foundation.
The extended partnership will raise an additional $150 million for polio eradication every year for three years. Donate today and your contribution will be tripled.
Polio eradication program to support COVID-19 response
Using the vast infrastructure developed to identify the poliovirus and deliver vaccination campaigns, the polio eradication program is pitching in to protect the vulnerable from COVID-19, especially in polio-endemic countries.
Learn how you can use grants to support COVID-19 response efforts by contacting Eddie on 52222198 or valed@pipeline.com.au Applications close mid April.
From PDG Bob Aitken AM JP, The RI END POLIO NOW Coordinator, Zone 8, 2018/21
(This comes to us via PDG Eddie)
Dear District Governors and senior leaders,
Please forgive me for adding to your email list once again but last night’s ‘Go To Conference’ for END POLIO NOW team leaders contained much valuable information.
Eleven END POLIO NOW team leaders took part in the Conference – lead by RI Past President John Germ (Chair, END POLIO NOW: Countdown to History Campaign Committee; and RI Past Director Robert Hall (Vice Chair, END POLIO NOW: Countdown to History Campaign Committee.
Chairman John acknowledged the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic currently threatening our world but emphasised our END POLIO NOW team must not lose sight of the important fundraising goal of US$50m to ensure we again qualify for the Gates Foundation 2:1 offer.
Rotary International has acknowledged its responsibility in the ongoing battle to contain and eliminate Coronavirus with a grant of US$1m to the World Health Organisation COVID-19 fund, he said.
Successful fundraising in the final months of the 2019/20 Rotary year was the hot topic for the evening. I emphasised it was a very difficult year for Rotary Clubs and Districts in Australia in the wake of ongoing drought conditions, followed by the bushfire disaster, then floods and now COVID-19.
It was agreed that the onset of COVID-19 ultimately forced Districts and Clubs to suspend normal Rotary activity around the world, creating a very difficult situation for everyone.
Many agreed more stringent challenges lay ahead. Our South African END POLIO NOW team leader Richard Brooks said 60 million South Africans have now been ordered into complete lockdown and must stay in their homes for three weeks.
Whilst agreed EPN goals are still in place and up to speed at this time, it was also agreed the best chance of raising the US$50m to take advantage of the Gates Foundation offer – along with the 1:1 offer from the World Fund – was to convince ALL Districts to utilise District Designated Funds. Such giving should not stop at the requested 20% but utilise every available dollar.
Past President John pointed out that the cancellations and severe disruption to club and District activities will probably disrupt many matching grant proposals.
‘Channelling every available cent of DDF to END POLIO NOW was the best option for everyone in these difficult times,’ he said.
FUND RAISING PROGRESS YEAR TO DATE
It was pleasing to hear that EPN fundraising goals for the year to date are on target at this time, when compared with 2019 giving –
Cash donations – US$20.3 million (target of $35m)
Designated District Funds (DDF) - $4.1 million ($10m)
World Fund - $4.2 million ($10m)
Total giving year to date - $28.5 million ($50m)
Fundraising status reports for all Districts will be available for sharing with District leaders within the next week. They will show fundraising to date, comparisons with last year, and available DDF.
Past President John urged Team Leaders to deliver a clear message to all Districts via their Coordinators that the annual DDF allocation is a spending fund.
‘It is not a bank and is meant to be spent each year’, he said.
PROMOTIONAL TOOLS
The meeting was informed that new END POLIO Now brochures, along with an updated power point program, will be available in April and distributed to all END POLIO NOW Coordinators for sharing with Rotary Clubs and Districts.
The brochures/flyers will be available in A4 and A3 ‘ready to print’ format – ideal for distribution at public events.
A new training overview was discussed for implementation with the 2020/21 team - to take office from July 1 next.
UPDATED CASE FIGURES
34 WPV1 (wild polio virus) cases (32 in Pakistan, 2 in Afghanistan) – 86 WPV1 positive environmental samples found (78 in Pakistan and 8 in Afghanistan)
48 cVDPV2 (vaccine derived) cases – 35 positive environmental samples collected.
Good news from Past President John is that conditions are improving in Afghanistan with a more positive attitude from Government.
He closed the meeting with a stirring quote from Bill Gates … ‘So long as we never give up, then Polio does not stand a chance!’
Thank you all for your continued dedicated service in unprecedented times. Don’t hesitate to call me at any time if you require further information.
Best wishes – stay safe,
Regards
Bob
PDG Bob Aitken AM JP
RI END POLIO NOW Coordinator, Zone 8, 2018/21
