Rotarians in middle and east Tennessee observed World Polio Day on October 24, honoring the district’s long‑standing commitment to eradicating polio worldwide. The celebration highlighted the historic first polio immunization project in the Philippines in 1979, led by James Bomar of the Shelbyville Rotary Club, and the district’s ongoing fundraising initiatives.

Historic milestones

Rotary International launched the PolioPlus program in 1985, setting an ambitious goal to end polio. By 1988, Rotary helped found the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) alongside the CDC, WHO and UNICEF. Tennessee Rotarians have played key roles, from James Lacy of Cookeville, who advocated for PolioPlus with the U.S. government and later served as International President in 1998‑1999, to Bill Sergeant of Oak Ridge, who chaired the International PolioPlus committee for 12 years.

Fundraising achievements

The district’s fundraisers have raised substantial sums for the cause. John Germ of the Rotary Club of Chattanooga, whose father suffered from polio, led a campaign that secured a $2‑to‑1 match from the Gates Foundation and helped raise $228 million. More recently, Dave Baumgartner of the Knoxville Rotary Club introduced the “Dunkin Purple Pinkie Day,” selling purple‑iced donuts to symbolize the finger‑ink marking used with the oral vaccine. That event alone has generated $7.5 million.

Impact of Rotary’s efforts

Rotary’s global work has immunized roughly 3 billion children, contributed over $2.9 billion to eradication efforts, and reduced polio cases by 99.9 %. As of 2026, only Afghanistan and Pakistan remain endemic, with 29 wild‑polio cases reported this year.

Local significance

For District 6780, World Polio Day serves as a reminder of the promise made to children 45 years ago and the continued moral urgency to finish the job. Rotary members view their work as the “conscience of the polio movement,” providing private‑sector drive, community development, and sustained will to keep global eradication on track.

Patricia S. Daughtrey, a Rotarian, provided the original article.

Original reporting: Knox TN Today — read the source article.