More than 100 people had their photo taken while making the “This Close” gesture as an effort by the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman Sunrise to raise awareness and funding for Rotary’s fight against polio. The photos are currently available online at www.RotarySunrise.ky and will soon be uploaded to become part of the world’s biggest commercial at http://thisclose.endpolio.org

The commercial currently runs 3.5 hours. Adding the photos from Cayman will help nudge the running time closer to 4 hours.

The people who participated in the March 1st photo event will join celebrities such as musician Ziggy Marley, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, actress Archie Punjabi, and singer Angélique Kidjo in the commercial that includes photos of both famous and ordinary people from around the world who agree that the age of polio must come to an end.

Many of those photographed in Grand Cayman on March 1st expressed surprise that the disease still existed. However, there remain three countries (Nigeria, Pakistan, and Afghanistan) in which the wild poliomyelitis virus remains endemic. Because it is highly infectious, as long as a single case of polio remains, the entire world remains at risk. Air travel complicates the chance of reintroducing the disease in countries where it has currently been eliminated.

Donations that were collected at the photo event will triple in value due to the philanthropic challenge made by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has partnered with Rotary in the fight against polio. For every $1 raised by Rotary, the Gates Foundation will match it with $2.

Honorary Rotary Sunrise member Robert Ketron, whose brother is a polio survivor, urges everyone to join the worldwide effort to eradicate polio by making a donation to finally end that horrible disease in the last 3 countries where the disease remains endemic.

For those who missed their opportunity to be part of the world’s biggest commercial on March 1st, Past Rotary Sunrise President Hendrik van Genderen will provide another opportunity on March 15th at the Cayman Islands Rotary Bed Race to Eradicate Polio. This multi-club event will take place on the waterfront in George Town at 3:00 p.m. Photos will be taken beginning at 1 p.m. and donations to eradicate polio will be accepted at that time. Bed Race information for sponsorship and participants can be found at www.bedrace.ky

More information about Rotary’s fight against polio is available online at www.endpolio.org

Rotary Sunrise was chartered in 2002 and has members who are mostly young professionals from Cayman and 24 other countries. They have fun contributing to the Cayman community and meet for breakfast at 7 a.m. on Wednesdays at the George Town Yacht Club.

Photo caption:

Rotary Club of Grand Cayman Sunrise President J.D. Mosley-Matchett joins over 100 other Cayman residents in the worldwide fight against polio. Credit: Jonathan Adam