Successful "End Polio" fundraiser in Lake Forest Park

From left, LFP Rotary President, Dave Halbrook, Chuck Paulsen, and
restaurant manager Katy Millsin front of Lake Forest Bar and Grill
Photo by Jerry Pickard 

In partnership with the Lake Forest Bar and Grill, the Rotary Club of LFP held their 2nd Annual "Dine Out Dinner to End Polio" fundraiser on Thursday, October 23, 2014.

The purpose of the event was to raise funds to help in the battle to eradicate the last 1% of  the countries where polio is still endemic: Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan.

Good food, good company, good cause.
L rear Dave Halbrook, LFP Rotary President, Andy Shepherd,
L front Janice Strand, Beck Gorlin
Photo by Heidi Shepherd

It was a most successful event with good friends and neighbors enjoying dinner. The Uptown LowDownJazz - Double Barrs (Bert and Rosemarie) provided smooth jazz for the diners' enjoyment. The restaurant staff provided the warm setting, the food and most importantly, they gave 10% of their evening's proceeds to Rotary to help fund the eradication efforts.  

Polio is still the most infectious viral disease for which there is no cure, and has recently spread into Syria as refugees pour into the country.

India and the rest of Southeast Asia, on the other hand, have been polio-free for the past two years through a concerted effort by their governments.

Since 1985, Rotary International Club has brought together a global network of volunteer leaders. They partner in The Global Polio Eradication Initiative, led by World Health Organization, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UNICEF, many governments, and the Gates Foundation. Over 2.5  billion children have received the vaccine drops to protect them from this paralytic scourge.

At least annually, a group of Rotarians travel to Ethiopia with Ezra Teshome, 5030 Past District Governor, as a team of volunteers to administer the drops. With this terrible disease, still in existence for at least 3000 years, hopefully being eradicated, many children and adults around the world will have the opportunity to live healthy, productive lives.

You may send donations directly to:

Rotary Club of Lake Forest Park

P.O. Box 55983

Shoreline, WA 98255

For more information see the End Polio website.