PDG BILL HATFIELD introduced his good friend and our fellow Rotarian PDG JIM GRAHAM, whose topic was Rotary International Polio Eradication. He began by remembering that is was eleven years and two months ago that he and ROBERTA brought Hakim and Qudrat to our club. Qudrat had just had his tiny heart repaired at Riley Children’s Hospital as part of the Gift of Life project, brought to our District by BILL HATFIELD during his year as Governor. JIM then explained the connection between Rotary, Riley, Polio and The Rotary Foundation. James Whitcomb Riley was a Rotarian. When Rotary approached the state to build a children’s hospital and committed funds to build the convalescent center, the hospital was named for the very famous Rotarian who wrote about children. The hospital was featured in Rotarian Magazine in 1932. At that time polio was the most serious health issue facing children.

JIM went on to describe the trip he and his wife, ROBERTA, took to Afghanistan in 2014 to be polio workers and to visit Hakim. Rotary, WHO and UNICEF share the work in a very dangerous corner of the world. He detailed the procedure: drops, record keeping, note on the house and chilled vaccine made in India and Indonesia. Thousands of refugees and displaced persons entering Kabul are checked to be sure the children receive the drops. Even business travelers must receive booster shots before being granted a visa. The world is free of polio except for Afghanistan and Pakistan, where there have been 2 cases and 7 cases respectively. JIM asked us to continue to contribute to the End Polio campaign. All contributions receive Paul Harris Fellow points.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:
(From the “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” department):  “I’m going to fly this thing, then I’m going to set it afire and never have another thing to do with aeroplanes.”    -- Clyde Cessna, who built the world-famous Cessna Aircraft Corporation, after an unsuccessful attempt at flight in 1911.

JANE'S CORNER:
Unsung Heroes:  There are little jobs that are quietly taken care of by members.  TOM MORAN routinely took care of the badge box when it needed repair or reorganizing.  JACK KELLEY has kindly stepped up to do that job.  LARRY HUGGINS who helps with our cranky web site and all matters that involve even crankier DaCdb.   BOB VERPLANK has taken care of our computers for many years.  We miss that service and him, but want to express appreciation for all of the technical know how.  BECKY ROBLEDO makes sure signature cards are signed without all of us trotting downtown to her office at the bank.  Thank you, JACK, LARRY, BOB and BECKY!