<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal">For Immediate Release<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Contact: Betsy Mulligan-Dague, Missoula Sunrise Rotary Club
President, <a href="mailto:bmdague@gmail..com">bmdague@gmail.com</a> <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Available for Interview: Heidi Heitman, <a href="mailto:hheitmann@insuredtitles.com">hheitmann@insuredtitles.com</a> <span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Missoula Sunrise Rotary member Heidi Heitman’s great aunt,
Viola Filler of North Dakota is the oldest surviving Polio victim. She turned
100 years old on September 25 of this year. You can view the news story about
her at the following link: <a href="http://www.myndnow.com/news/video/oldest-polio-survivor_20170613222300/740188312">http://www.myndnow.com/news/video/oldest-polio-survivor_20170613222300/740188312</a><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Rotary International will celebrate the 5<sup>th</sup>
annual World Polio Day on October 24 co-hosted with the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation. They will bring together more than 50,000 viewers around the
world to educate and share progress on the road to polio eradication.
Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious disease that most commonly affects
children under the age of 5. Most know it as poliovirus. The virus is spread
person to person, typically through contaminated water. It can attack the
nervous system, and in some instances, lead to paralysis. Although there is no
cure, there is a safe and effective vaccine – one which Rotary and their
partners use to immunize over 2.5 billion children worldwide. The eradication
of polio is one of Rotary International’s longest standing and most significant
efforts, begun in 1988 and continuing today. Their efforts have helped immunize
more than 2.5 billion children against polio in 122 countries. They have
reduced polio cases by 99.9 percent worldwide and won't stop until they end the
disease for good. Today, only 3 countries in the world have never stopped
transmission of polio (Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria). As long as
a single child remains infected with poliovirus, children in all countries are
at risk of contracting the disease.<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Local Missoula Rotary Clubs help to raise funds for this
effort. If you would like to help or want more information, please contact one
of our local clubs<span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Missoula Sunrise Rotary Club <a href="https://portal.clubrunner.ca/1584">https://portal.clubrunner.ca/1584</a><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Rotary Club of Missoula, <a href="https://portal.clubrunner.ca/1864">https://portal.clubrunner.ca/1864</a><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Missoula Centennial Rotary Club <a href="http://www.clubrunner.ca/dprg/dxprogramhome/_programhome.aspx?did=5390&pageid=4957">http://www.clubrunner.ca/dprg/dxprogramhome/_programhome.aspx?did=5390&pageid=4957</a><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p><div><br></div>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size:12.8px">Betsy Mulligan-Dague, President</span><div><div style="font-size:12.8px">Rotary Club of Missoula Sunrise <span style="font-size:12.8px">"Making a Difference"</span></div><div style="font-size:12.8px">P. O. Box 5755, Missoula, MT 59806</div><div style="font-size:12.8px">Join us every Wednesday morning at 7:15 am at the <span style="font-size:12.8px">Hilton Garden Inn's </span><span style="font-size:12.8px">Blue Canyon Restaurant </span></div></div></div></div>
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