2015 Polar Plunge

Posted by Dennis O'Hara

on Jan 05, 2015

The Rotary Club of Stoneham is Freezin' For A Reason

The Rotary Club of Stoneham is jumping into the Atlantic Ocean for Polio Eradication on Saturday, April 11, 2015 at 11:15am as part of Rotary District 7930’s 5th annual Polar Plunge at Long Beach in Gloucester. This event has been postponed from January 31, February 7, and March 7. To plunge or watch the plungers, arrive by 10:30 for coffee and fellowship in advance of the 11:15am plunge at the Cape Ann Motor Inn, 33 Rockport Road in Gloucester.

The event is part of Rotary International’s ongoing campaign to eradicate polio in our lifetime. More than 300 people are expected to plunge into the cold waters off Cape Ann this year including the Rotary Club of Stoneham. Last year, over 250 people braved the icy waters, raising more than $100,000.

So far, our Club has two plungers registered: Amy Palmerino and Dave Gardner. Click here to visit the Stoneham team page and make your donation on behalf of Amy or Dave. Dave has set a goal of $5,000 and Amy a goal of $1,000 towards the District's goal of $125,000. Or, sign up to plunge yourself!

Since 1985, Polio has become the signature cause for Rotary International as it has teamed up with partners including The Global Poverty Project, The Global Eradication Initiative, The World Health Organization, and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. More than $1.2 billion has been raised among Rotary clubs worldwide and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. When Rotary International took on the battle against this disease, more than 350,000 people spanning 125 countries were impacted. Today there are three countries left where it has not been eradicated-- Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.

This year, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged a 2:1 match for every dollar raised by Rotarians toward eradication efforts (up to $35 million/year until 2018). Your donation can make the difference in changing a person’s life.

For more information on how the Rotary Club of Stoneham serves the local and global communities, visit www.stonehamrotaryclub.org. To learn more about the global effort to eradicate polio, visit endpolionow.org.