BRIDGTON — Eight local Rotarians and a half dozen others gathered to commemorate Rotary’s effort worldwide to end polio on World Polio Day on Oct. 23.  In a brief opening ceremony, Peter Wright, president, Bridgton Hospital, said that in his 17 years in the organization, it is projects such as this that make him proud to be a Rotarian. He said only two countries remain in the world where polio still exists.

Julie Forbes, president, Bridgton-Lake Region Rotary Club, responded, “Yes, new cases were only found in Pakistan and Afghanistan in the past year. It’s been eradicated in Africa only recently and elsewhere in the world for years.  The vaccine must continue to be given to all children worldwide to prevent the viral infection from ever taking root, primarily because there is no cure for polio.  We cannot let up now since we are so close to eradicating a second devastating disease as has been accomplished with small pox.” A polio survivor, Forbes is a big advocate of the Rotary program.

Following the remarks, the Rotarians set to work planting 1,000 purple crocus bulbs.

Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 30 years. For more information about Rotary or the project, contact [email protected]. To be part of the local effort to end polio, make a check payable to the Bridgton Rotary Foundation and mail to P. O. Box 845, Bridgton, ME 04009.