Rotarians raised $910 to help eradicate polio during a Halloween walk through F.T. Proctor Park.
Rotarians pose with signs during 'Walk to Scare Away Polio'

The Rotary Club of Utica hosted a Walk to Scare Away Polio on Saturday, Oct. 31, in recognition of World Polio Day (October 24). The event took place at the F.T. Proctor Park in Utica and adhered to COVID-19 restrictions. A total of $910 was raised by this event.
 
The walk was held to raise awareness, funds, and support to end polio around the world. “When Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, there were 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries every year,” Rotary International reports. “Today, just three countries continue to report cases of the polio virus: Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan."
 
Walkers also checked out what The Rotary Club of Utica has accomplished through its F.T. Proctor Park service project – including the extensive work done on the hydrangea beds lining the parking lot and the clearing of some vintage staircases and surrounding areas.
 
All donations collected go to The Rotary Foundation Fund for eradicating polio. A big bonus is that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match donations 2-to-1, for a total yearly contribution of $150 million.