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Ending polio goal of Rotary Club

CORTLAND –The Cortland Rotary Club and the Lakeview High School Beta Club came together to learn what can be done to help eradicate polio worldwide.

Members of both groups gathered at Ohio Living Lake Vista for World Polio Day where they viewed a live video of what Rotary International is doing to battle polio, which is still a problem is such countries as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria.

Cortland Rotary President Donna Zuga said the club’s main goal is to focus on helping to battle polio and assist those with the disease.

“We made this a multigenerational event for students, club members and the public,” Zuga said.

Amy McCullam, a club member and director at Ohio Living Lake Vista, said the video presentation showcased “End Polio Now,” which explained polio is an intestinal virus that is spread through contact with the feces of an infected person that contaminates water or food.

Rotary and its partners work to reach millions of children in 39 counties during polio immunization campaigns.

In 1988, there were 125 polio-epidemic countries. Today there are now only three. A total of 17.4 million people have been helped by the three-decade eradication effort, explained the video which was viewed worldwide.

“What is alarming is there are some mutations of polio that are occurring which is a concern,” Zuga said.

While she said it is rare to hear about polio in the United States, there was a recent news report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirming a case of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), the illness mostly found in children that mimics polio. Acute flaccid myelitis is a rare neurological condition that affects the spinal cord and causes limb weakness.

Juan Rohrer, 17, a senior at Lakeview High School and member of the school’s Beta Club, said the eight students attending wanted to be educated on polio.

“It is important that we learn about the history of polio,” Rohrer said.

The Beta Club and Rotary Club recently worked together for Make A Difference Day collecting clothing and non-perishable food items for Warren Family Mission.

Rohrer said the club is also planning to adopt a waterway for cleanup sometime in November.

The Rotary will sponsor a special gathering 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Trumbull Art Gallery. The club has provided special scholarships for the gallery.

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