Announcements to our Zoom meeting:
 
Trudy drew our attention to the local publication "Boomers and Beyond" to help us other baby boomers in our commuity. The recent edition included a full page article about Catherine and the BRACA shirts program.  The "Boomers and Beyond" publication and more (content for area communities) are viewable at: 
 
Gerry impressed us with his backscreen. Note from Editor: I attempted on my Zoom but I got an error message that my hardware/software did not allow, even with the most up to date version of Zoom (both on my Microsoft and Apple systems). I tried with a green blanket; worked where the green was placed behind me. I plan to order a green screen from Amazon.

Please see notice from Gerry:
Next Tuesday, October 27, at 10:00 a.m. we will gather on the steps of City Hall, with mayor Joe Preston and others, in celebration of World Polio Day (and week).  The Rotary flag will fly at City Hall next week to raise awareness of the End Polio Now campaign and Rotary's continued commitment to the complete eradication of Polio. Please be there about 10 minutes before so that we can start the event on time. Our AG, Nancy Lovelock, has agreed to preside, as President Gerry and Catherine are unavailable.
COVID-19 regulations will be in place, meaning physical distancing and wearing masks.
Also, the Board has decided that for the time being we will revert to Zoom meetings, but please keep supporting the Wayside Restaurant and other local businesses during this difficult time.
Here is the link for the World’s Greatest Meal that Barbara spoke about for inclusion in the Rotaserver. http://wgmeal.com/
Thank you.
Gerry Janssen
 
From David Elliot, District 6330 President, he thanks us for our contribution to End Polio Now:
link to donate to End Polio, here is the direct link for you to share or make a donation,  https://raise.rotary.org/Rotary-District6330/challenge. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will contribute double contributions for every dollar we donate. 
Please see the video from David https://youtu.be/nQjEUJOR4a8 . The district has no planned activity for End Polio now 24Oct20.
 
 
 
Katherine Hahn, End Polio Chair, Stratford afternoon Club
spoke to us. Katherine spoke of the teacher she knew that had polio; that lead her to be an advocate for Polio eradication during the previous 30 years. Please see screenshots of Katherine in India.
Her son Evan went with her. Rotarians help in 3rd world conditions without imposing western world standards. After eradication, the vaccine will be transferred to the killed vaccine injectable which is good for 25 years. She recommended a Netflix video "Saawan" https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/81160036 that demonstrates that people with Polio are treated like animals, begging to survive or locked away. The following screenshot demonstrates their appalling conditions:
Africa was declared polio-free during August; 2 more countries that take us to the poorest of the poor remain with small numbers of cases. Strategies for dealing with Polio include hunting for the disease, strategizing, advocating for victims, and immunizing against polio.
 
Polio is an incurable viral disease with similarities to COVID. We can be pleased that our contributions to the Polio eradication program mean lessons learned and infrastructure are in place to deal with COVID. The following are notes by the editor taken from the publication "Global Citizen" "What Lessons We can Learn from Polio Eradication in Tackling COVID 19" :

Global institutions are partnering and cooperating. Rotary Internatioal is one of six organizations, the others are Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), WHO, CDC, UNICEF, Gates Foundation. There are 20 million GPEI volunteers. Testing and detection Programs As with Polio, COVID programs use surveillance systems that test sewage and drinking water sources. Planning for immunization programs and Contact Tracing programs can be transferred to COVID. With Polio, 90% of the infected are asymptomatic carriers; the percentage of COVID 19 infected with mild symptoms is 80%. .5% of Polio victims become paralyzed; 1% of COVID cases die.