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800 Miles to End Polio in Arizona

Sedona AZ (November 17, 2011) – Rotary Clubs across Arizona are joining together to lead an ambitious campaign called “800 Miles to End Polio Now.”

Volunteers of all ages and all backgrounds will be hiking, running, biking or horseback riding a section of The Arizona Trail, which runs across the state from Mexico to Utah. Partnering with the Arizona Trail Association, Rotary is asking Arizonans to hit the trail through February 14, 2012 while accepting pledges from friends and family to support the end of polio.

The goal is to raise $250,000 for Rotary International’s End Polio Now campaign. Money raised in Arizona will support Rotary International’s overall goal of raising $200 million toward polio eradication by June 30, 2012 to qualify for $355 million in matching grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Polio, a crippling disease once common place in the United States, remains endemic in four nations (Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan). Since 1985, cases of polio have decreased by 99% because of the efforts of Rotary International and its global partners such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and others.

“If we are unable to eliminate polio, the disease will continue to paralyze, kill and threaten children around the world,” said Rod Daniels, co-chair of the 800 Miles to End Polio Now project.  “Eradication is within our grasp and I’m confident Arizonans will rally around this historic cause.”

The Arizona Trail covers some of the most diverse landscapes found in Arizona including the Grand Canyon and the Sonoran Desert.  To sign up, donate or find additional information visit www.endpolioaz.org.

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3 Comments

  1. Drake, Tempe AZ says:

    Thanks a lot for the great writeup.

  2. Tresa Magiera Stitley says:

    Vow to offer joy to one person in the morning, and to help relieve the grief of one person in the afternoon.
    ~Thich Nhat Hanh

  3. Nick Croll, CA says:

    Saw this and wanted to write a quick note asking others to help out a worthy cause.

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