The event has become a popular annual highlight creating great interest and awareness for Rotary, with fundraising being vital for the success of Rotary’s END POLIO NOW campaign.

Article by Jack Campbell, University of Wollongong. Journalism Student – work experience.

South Australian Rotary’s major Polio fund raiser, the Polio Ute Relay is enjoying another successful year.

District 9510 Governor Jeff Neale reports that the Relay is running in reverse this year with the team visiting metropolitan clubs In District before heading to the far-flung clubs in regional and rural areas.

Governor Jeff said the District is very proud of this innovative project which has become an annual highlight creating great interest and public relations near and far.

This year’s vehicle is the Mazda BT50, generously supported by Paradise Mazda in Adelaide. The ‘BT’ has added meaning as ‘Baton Transfer’ at the various Rotary Club staging posts.

The relay is currently traveling through South Australia, with its next stop being the Rotary Club of Loxton. The trip will end in Alice Springs on April 30, 2022, during World Immunization week.

Governor Jeff says the event has become a popular annual highlight creating great interest and awareness for Rotary, with fundraising being vital for the success of Rotary’s END POLIO NOW campaign.

This years campaign is expected to raise over $22,000 from The Rotary Polio Ute Relay Raffle and donations. The raffle will be drawn on May 15, 2022 at the District 9510 Foundation Luncheon. Raffle tickets were limited to the monetary value of donated prizes.

The Polio Ute will be travelling to the following places as it completes its trip of District 9510:

• Rotary Clubs in the Riverland with Rotary Club of Loxton on February 25, 26 and 27
• Rotary Club of Port Pire Market March 13 -14
• Rotary Club of Clare, Car Show and Shine March 19 - 20
• Rotary Club of Port Augusta March 25 - 28
• Rotary Club of Whyalla Norrie and Rotary Club of Whyalla March 28 – April 1
• District 9510 Conference April 1 - 4
• Rotary Club of Port Lincoln April 5 - 10
• Rotary Club of Roxby District Wednesday April 13 - 19
• Rotary Clubs of Alice Springs April 22 - 30

Only two countries recorded cases of wild polio in 2021, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan recorded their last case on January 27, 2021. Afghanistan has started a house to house vaccination drive which will see 3.5 million children receive polio vaccines. The war has prevented the campaign from going ahead for the past three years, fortunately we are now seeing the drive go ahead.

“Rotary International launched the campaign in 1985 and has since linked with the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation and other partners in an amazing Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Part of Rotary’s commitment is to raise US$50m per year to sustain vaccine production and delivery to the remaining endemic countries Pakistan and Afghanistan,” said Governor Jeff.

The past year saw a significant drop in polio cases. Rotary will continue to lead the vaccination program for three years after the last recorded case. When that long sought-after day arrives, the World Health Organization will declare the world polio free.