Local Rotary Clubs honored with award for End Polio Now Walk

ROCK FALLS – Sauk Valley-area Rotary clubs have been honored with the Best Polio Eradication Project Award in 2022-23 for their annual End Polio Now Walk.

Six area Rotary clubs hosted the walk: Dixon, Rock Falls, Sterling Noon, Twin Cities Sunrise, Walnut and SVCC Rotaract.

The walk creates an awareness of how close the world is to eradicating polio forever. When the Rotary in 1988 took on the task of eliminating polio, more than 350,000 cases in 125 countries were being diagnosed annually.

Last year, there were nine cases of wild virus polio reported worldwide, according to a news release from End Polio Walk Now Chairwoman Betty Clementz.

The walk brought in $2,604.37 from Rotary club members donating to the group’s foundation, known as Polio Plus. That sum was then tripled thanks to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, leading to a total of $7,813.11 brought in from the event.

The Rock Falls Rotary Club also has brought in a new member. Molly Mammosser was inducted into the Rock Falls Rotary Club on Oct. 2 by past District Governor of District 6420 Laura Kann.

Bob Sondgeroth was Mammosser’s sponsor. She is employed with the Sterling CGH Therapy Center on North Locust Street.