Wilsonville, Oregon — The Rotary Club of Wilsonville and the Wanker’s Corner Café & Saloon are partnering on a Pints for Polio fundraising event on World Polio Day, which is Thursday, October 24. It will take place at the restaurant, 8499 SW Main St., Wilsonville, OR 97070. The event is fourfold:
- All day long, Wanker’s is generously donating 10% of sales to End Polio Now.
- The club will host a fun evening event from 6–8:30 p.m. where the Wilsonville community can enjoy great food and drink, while supporting the worthy cause of eradicating polio worldwide.
- From 7–7:30 p.m., Wilsonville singer-songwriter Michele Van Kleef will play music, including songs from her new album, Just A Seed.
- For $5, participants can get their pinky painted purple to show support for the cause. It’s a symbol of hope and protection. Aid workers worldwide identify the children they have vaccinated against polio by dipping their pinkies in purple dye.
“Our club in particular is very passionate about this cause, and so is Rotary globally,” Rotary Club of Wilsonville President Mike Bishop said. “All children are born every year without protection against this horrific disease, so we have to take action to stop it. We’re proud to support this cause and grateful to Wanker’s Corner and owner Cooper Maxiner for their very generous support. Ending polio is within humanity’s reach. We’ve worked a long time to get here. Now it’s time to close the deal.”
Since 2007, the Rotary Club of Wilsonville has raised $103,931 towards the End Polio Now campaign, by gathering donations at the Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts and other events. All money raised through the Pints for Polio event will be matched two-for-one by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, meaning that any gift given will have triple the impact.
About Rotary and Polio Eradication
Polio is a highly contagious disease, spread largely through contaminated drinking water. It can lead to paralysis and even death, but it is preventable through childhood vaccination.
Rotary International and the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988, setting an ambitious goal to make polio second infectious disease, after smallpox, to be completely eradicated. That year, there were 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries worldwide.
Now, 36 years later, thanks to this global campaign to vaccinate against polio, it is down to just two endemic countries — Pakistan and Afghanistan. To reach this point, Rotary has contributed over $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to immunize more than 2.5 billion children in 122 countries. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have also helped secure over $10 billion in donations from governments and other partners for the cause. Rotarians are determined that now is the time to wipe out polio for good.
In the United States, polio once was one of the most feared infectious public health threats. However, due to a successful vaccination campaign, it was considered eradicated in the U.S. in 1979. Nevertheless, there have been cases on U.S. soil as recently as 2022, and it could be spread here by people traveling to or from other countries. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), during the 2022-2023 school year, only 93.1% of children in the US had received the polio vaccine, leaving the window for spread at a higher risk.
“The reality is, polio is just a plane ride away,” Bishop said. “We can’t let up. If we stopped vaccinations today, we could be back to 200,000 cases per year annually within 10 years. If we finish the job, that’s millions of futures we’re unlocking by doing away with the threat of polio. We are almost there and just need that final push. Let’s paint the town purple and help make history by ending polio for good!”
About Michele Van Kleef
Michele Van Kleef is a Wilsonville-based singer-songwriter with a classically trained, soulful voice. She has three solo albums under her belt, which include After All, Your Own Way, and her newest, Just A Seed. She started her music career as vocalist for the very successful, Northwest-based indie rock band, Calobo, which toured nationwide and opened for Sarah McLachlan, Train, Indigo Girls, Ani DiFranco, Jethro Tull and others. Her music is available on streaming services including Spotify and Apple Music. For more information, visit MicheleVanKleef.com.
About Rotary
Rotary brings together a global network of volunteer leaders dedicated to tackling the world’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. Rotary connects 1.4 million members of more than 46,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Their work improves lives at both the local and international levels, from helping those in need in their own communities to working toward a polio-free world. For more information, visit Rotary.org.
About the Rotary Club of Wilsonville
The Rotary Club of Wilsonville was founded in 1975 and will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2025. The club carries out several signature service projects throughout the year, including the innovative Through A Child’s Eyes program at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, the annual Wilsonville Rotary Summer Concerts, the signature Good Eggs omelet and pancake breakfasts throughout the year, the Wilsonville First Citizen awards program, a college scholarship program, an international Rotary Youth Exchange program, sponsorship of Interact clubs at Wilsonville High School and Riverside High School, and many other one-time projects and ongoing programs. The club meets weekly, Thursdays at 11:45 a.m. at Black Bear Diner, and has 40 members. For more information, visitWilsonvilleRotary.com .