MUSCATINE, Iowa — In recognition of World Polio Day on October 24, 2026, the Rotary Club of Muscatine is joining millions of volunteers globally to raise awareness, secure vital funding, and drive the final push toward a polio-free world.
As part of this global effort, the Rotary Club of Muscatine is hosting its localized End Polio Now Walk on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Vibrant Arena at The Mark in Moline. The public awareness walk acts as a critical local mobilization event to honor healthcare workers, recognize polio survivors, and ensure that community members understand the stakes of ongoing global eradication campaigns.
Mayor Brad Bark proclaimed Saturday, October 24, 2026, as World Polio Day in Muscatine during Tuesday’s (Oct. 20) Muscatine City Council meeting.
Since Rotary International launched its flagship PolioPlus program in 1985—later co-founding the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988—global polio cases have plummeted by more than 99.9%. However, wild poliovirus remains endemic in select regions, and unexpected detections worldwide underscore that as long as polio exists anywhere, it remains a threat everywhere.
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“Here in Muscatine the Rotary club donates funds to inoculate 20 children from the polio virus every week,” said Marc Hines, president of the Muscatine Rotary club, when accepting the proclamation. “That is over 1,000 children per year. The work, however, is not done. Vaccine skepticism threatens to revive diseases like measles and polio. As individuals, as Rotarians, and as local governments we must remain vigilant and make polio a relic of the past.”
Every dollar raised by Rotary clubs globally for polio eradication is matched 2-to-1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, turning local contributions from Muscatine into critical vaccine deliveries, disease surveillance networks, and lab testing infrastructures worldwide.
The community is encouraged to support the Muscatine Rotary Club’s End Polio Now initiative by participating in local awareness walks, donating to the global PolioPlus Fund, or tuning into global updates at endpolio.org.
About Rotary International and the Muscatine Rotary Club
Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change. The Rotary Club of Muscatine meets weekly to coordinate local service projects, support municipal advancements, and drive international humanitarian efforts.
