"Pennies for Polio" will pay for 6,000 doses of vaccine!
Since pennies are on the way out, The Rotary Club of Ann Arbor felt it would be reasonable for them to help eradicate polio, much as the March of Dimes was instrumental in funding the research toward a vaccine more than 70 years ago. The Club was proud to raise over $1200 in the five weeks leading up to World Polio Day on October 24. With the generous 2:1 match from the Gates Foundation and the cost $0.60 per dose, their efforts will pay for about 6,000 immunizations!
Here’s the breakdown:
$414.75 in pennies!
$51.35 in nickels
$53.00 in dimes
$18.75 in quarters
$301.00 in currency
$375.00 in checks
Total: $1213.85 from 68 donors
Fun fact: The coins weighed 244 pounds!
Want to learn more?:
• “Polio: An American Story” by David Oshinsky is an award-winning book recounting America’s 1950s polio crisis. It is available in several formats.
• The background on the development of the polio vaccine is reported in this 66 minute documentary, "The Shot Felt 'Round the World."
• A wealth of information, including current statistics, is available on endpolionow.org
• Make note of October 24 as World Polio Day and keep aware of news, activities, and events related to polio and its eradication.
John White