Wilmington Rotary Club Raises Flag in Fight Against Polio
NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY)– World Polio Day is this Thursday and to recognize it the six Rotary Clubs of Wilmington partnered with New Hanover County to raise a flag.
“The End Polio Now” flag is flying outside of the New Hanover Health and Human Services building in Wilmington. The location is ideal because the flag is based on a health issue and the Rotar Clubs wanted this to fly in New Hanover County.
Polio is mostly eradicated in the U.S. since the vaccine was made available in the 1950’s, but polio still shows up in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Ethiopia.
Paul Lawler is the president of the Wilmington Rotary Club. He explains the importance of flying the flag.
“Rotary has always been involved for years, years, and years in the fight against Polio. October 24th is World Polio Day, and we are trying to call some attention to that. Both to the fact that there’s been such a huge reduction in the number of polio cases but also there is a way to go,” Lawler said.
The flag serves as a symbol and a reminder to people of a great health success but there is still some fight left.
Lawler adds although there hasn’t been a U.S. polio case since the 1990’s, there are still people suffering from it. Lawler encourages people to be vaccinated against the disease.
The flag will be flying outside of the building all week.
