In celebration of World Immunization Week (24-30 April), at our last meeting Jeff Hassett provided an overview of the robust polio eradication infrastructure built by Rotary and our partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). According to the World Health Organization, increasing awareness about the power of vaccines and closing immunization gaps could protect millions of people worldwide from vaccine-preventable diseases, including / especially polio. The GPEI estimates that polio vaccines have saved an estimated 20 million children around the world from paralysis. When Rotary helped launch the GPEI in 1988, the disease paralyzed more than 1,000 people worldwide every day, most of them young children. Since then, Rotary and its partners have reduced the number of polio cases by 99%, and in 2021 there were just six cases of polio caused by the wild poliovirus. Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only two countries where the wild poliovirus remains endemic. We are so close, yet there is so much more to do. Any donation made to Rotary for this initiative will be matched two to one by the Gates Foundation. Members wishing to make a donation may do so to Club treasurer Jeff Hassett, or to RI directly through their website (Rotary.org). If you choose to go to RI directly, please let Jeff  know so that he may track the Club’s level of participation.

At our last meeting Club members voted in the new members to the Club and Foundation boards of directors:

 

CLUB BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

     Alex Reczkowski

     John Hudnall

     Kelly Marion

     Jeff Whitehouse

 

ROTARY CLUB OF PITTSFIELD BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

     Jeff Hassett

     John Hudnall

     Adrienne DeBlieux-Speed

     Jeff Whitehouse

Kelly Marion supplied last week's Member Minute, speaking briefly about her 33 tenure at the Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center; and oh, yes, she's married to Jay.

Last week vice president Alex announced that the Christian Center was accepting donations on behalf of the twelve families displaced by the recent fire on Lincoln Street in Pittsfield. Members are encouraged to make their donations of household goods, clothes and cash to the Center.

Foundation president John Perreault awarded a check for $10,000 to Dave Wildgoose, on behalf of Babe Ruth Baseball in Pittsfield who are celebrating their 70th anniversary in Pittsfield. The funds will support their dugout project at Demming Park.

An important Club initiative going forward is membership enhancement. To that end, the Club is still entertaining the membership challenge proposed last year where any Club member that brings a prospective member to a luncheon meeting will have that guest's meal paid for by Eric Schaffer, and when/if that guest attends a second meeting, the meal will be covered by the Club. Can you think of someone to bring to Rotary?

John McLaughlin 05/19

Gail Molari 5/26

John O'Brien 6/2

Donna Palma 6/9

Ben Parhizgar 06/16

John Perreault 06/23

After Carol's big win, the lottery has been reset. The massive pot of $23 went unclaimed last week, as we hope to see the pot swell once again. Treasurer Jeff Hassett selected the King of Hearts as the match we are looking for in this lottery round. Several Rotarians wondered aloud if Tom Sherman will be seen in the near future with the pot at such pedestrian levels. 51cards remain in the deck.