The Rotary Club of Portage la Prairie has received an award for it's contribution to the fight against Polio. Foundation Director Doug Pedden says the club received the PolioPlus award for having an average of over$50 donated, per member, to the fight against Polio, noting they donated an average of 65 dollars per member. Pedden says Rotary Clubs around the world have been working hard for over 30 years to try to eradicate Polio.

L-R Gord Selinger, SGT at Arms; Preston Meier, PR Director; Cathie McFarlane, President elect; Shannon Moffat, Rotary President"Polio has been a long term project for Rotary; eradication of Polio is the goal. Our money is currently being matched by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and also with the Canadian Government so we can take $1 and turn it into $3 quite easily."

Says 99% of the world's population lives in regions certified polio-free thanks to the PolioPlus program, noting there are under 5 countries in the world with cases of polio.

"PolioPlus is a great program and we're almost there, in terms of eradicating Polio around the world. We've partnered with the World Heath Organization for years, as well as different countries and stuff like that. In terms of getting rid of Polio, we're down to, I think, 3 countries--Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria and those countries are not exactly stable and there are some reasons for that."

Pedden says the goal of eradication is closer than ever.