Local Rotarian Alderfer Rides To Fight Polio
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
In 1985, Rotary launched PolioPlus, one of the most ambitious humanitarian programs ever undertaken by a private-sector organization.
Since then, polio cases have dropped by 99.8 percent. Seventeen years ago there were 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries. Now less than 10 countries have 600 cases.
Rotarians will continue to raise funds until the polio virus is eradicated.
Toward this end Warsaw Rotary Club member Alan Alderfer will ride the 135 miles across Indiana Rotary District 6540, from Merrillville to Fort Wayne, on Oct. 25.
A cyclist since 1988, Alderfer trains regularly with a group of others and expects the ride, hopefully with the wind at his back, to last about seven hours.
Alderfer rides a Trek bicycle, the same kind racing great Lance Armstrong rides. This year he placed third in Elkhart's Great Race.
Alderfer had a personal look at polio with a late aunt who was stricken by the debilitating disease.
"She died a couple of years ago," he said, "not of the polio, that left her with a lame leg most of her life."
The vaccinations cost money and for every dollar raised by Rotary Clubs, up to $25 million, will be matched with $3 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Bank, for a total of $100 million.
Alderfer is taking donations now. More than $3,000 has been pledged and his goal is to raise $10,000.
"I'm the only one doing this. And if someone contributes 50 cents a mile, that's $62."
He'll be making several stops along the way meeting with the Merrillville, Valparaiso and Plymouth Rotary clubs; attend the Warsaw meeting at noon and visit Columbia City and Fort Wayne members.
His route, beginning at 7 a.m., will take him along old U.S. 30 with a service van following along behind. He expects to arrive in Fort Wayne at 5 p.m.
Each Rotary club is expected to set its own campaign goal. Many clubs are planning community fund-raisers, and as of mid-August, contributions exceed $5 million.
Rotary International has contributed more than $500 million to end polio and persistent lobbying at the federal level has led the United States government to commit more than $667 million for polio eradication. [[In-content Ad]]
In 1985, Rotary launched PolioPlus, one of the most ambitious humanitarian programs ever undertaken by a private-sector organization.
Since then, polio cases have dropped by 99.8 percent. Seventeen years ago there were 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries. Now less than 10 countries have 600 cases.
Rotarians will continue to raise funds until the polio virus is eradicated.
Toward this end Warsaw Rotary Club member Alan Alderfer will ride the 135 miles across Indiana Rotary District 6540, from Merrillville to Fort Wayne, on Oct. 25.
A cyclist since 1988, Alderfer trains regularly with a group of others and expects the ride, hopefully with the wind at his back, to last about seven hours.
Alderfer rides a Trek bicycle, the same kind racing great Lance Armstrong rides. This year he placed third in Elkhart's Great Race.
Alderfer had a personal look at polio with a late aunt who was stricken by the debilitating disease.
"She died a couple of years ago," he said, "not of the polio, that left her with a lame leg most of her life."
The vaccinations cost money and for every dollar raised by Rotary Clubs, up to $25 million, will be matched with $3 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Bank, for a total of $100 million.
Alderfer is taking donations now. More than $3,000 has been pledged and his goal is to raise $10,000.
"I'm the only one doing this. And if someone contributes 50 cents a mile, that's $62."
He'll be making several stops along the way meeting with the Merrillville, Valparaiso and Plymouth Rotary clubs; attend the Warsaw meeting at noon and visit Columbia City and Fort Wayne members.
His route, beginning at 7 a.m., will take him along old U.S. 30 with a service van following along behind. He expects to arrive in Fort Wayne at 5 p.m.
Each Rotary club is expected to set its own campaign goal. Many clubs are planning community fund-raisers, and as of mid-August, contributions exceed $5 million.
Rotary International has contributed more than $500 million to end polio and persistent lobbying at the federal level has led the United States government to commit more than $667 million for polio eradication. [[In-content Ad]]