Welcome to Rotary District 5180! 
Rotary’s theme this month is Community Economic Development. There are many factors that come into play as to why economic development is such a challenge in areas of the world. One key factor is the health and well-being of a community’s families who provide the workers, as well as consumers, for a local economy. Thus, Rotary’s commitment to eradicate polio is just one part of helping communities grow and remain economically strong and stable.
As fall arrives so has World Polio Month with October 24th being World Polio Day. We have a lot to celebrate this year. As I write this, new cases of polio identified in the world this year are… 2! Yes, only two new cases – one each in Pakistan and Afghanistan. And, it’s been more than 35 weeks since the last case was identified!
In 1988, when the Global Polio Eradication Initiative was launched, there were 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries every year!
We are truly close to eradicating this disease from the world…thanks to Rotary and our partners. But, we cannot let up on our efforts…we must continue to reach every child with the polio vaccine until the World Health Organization proclaims us polio free!
One of my Rotary moments was participating in a polio immunization trip to India in 2018. What an amazing feeling to be able to hold a child and put the drops of vaccine in their mouth knowing they would not be affected by this disease! It was a life-changing experience for me, and eradicating polio became my Rotary passion.
In support of our polio eradication efforts, I will be bike riding 100 miles in the ”Ride to End Polio” in Tucson, AZ, on November 20. Several other Rotarians in our District will be joining me on the ride, including Joe Scheimer (Fair Oaks Rotary), Steve Brozosky (Folsom Rotary), John Messner (Folsom Rotary), and Martha Ng (Midtown Rotary) – we’ll all be riding to raise funds to continue our fight of this disease.
You’re in luck! Join the PolioPlus Society by donating $100 this year to the PolioPlus Fund. You can also commit to donating at least $100 per year to the fund until the World Health Organization declares the world polio free! That makes you a PolioPlus Society member!
Welcome to September... and Rotary’s Basic Education and Literacy Month! The ability to read, write and comprehend is critical to economic development for individuals and communities. Literacy helps a person navigate the world with dignity, and allows them to take control of their lives, advocating for themselves, their families and for their community.
And just like that, the first month of the Rotary year has gone by and we’re in August! Rotary has named August as the “Membership/New Club Development” month. Membership in our District is off to a fabulous start with several clubs inducting new members. How wonderful it is to share the gift of Rotary with someone and give them the opportunity to become a Super Hero!
Last year's support for Rotary Foundation from District 5180 blew through a 26-year-old landmark! 
Grab your capes and join us for a Superhero Training Camp: Connecting the Three Essentials... Membership, Foundation and Public Image/Brand. 
