PRE-N.I.D. RALLY IN SOHNA

Following lunch at Sanjiv’s farm, we boarded the six buses, now displaying special banners created for our ROTARY DREAM TEAM – INDIA 2008, showing the Rotary Wheel, this year’s theme – ROTARY SHARES, along with the flags of the six nations (plus India) participating in this year’s work project – Canada, England, France, Australia, Sweden, the United States and India. We drove out of the farm area, and turned onto the serpent-like road, which we would descend following dozens of heavy-duty trucks, donkey carts, motorcycles, cars – you name it! We were on our way to join others at the local medical center to kick off the rally to raise the awareness about the National Immunization Day (N.I.D.) which was scheduled for the following morning.

When we arrived at the hospital, we were welcomed by a number of dignitaries, including the chief medical officer of the entire area. He had visited the farm the previous evening to share with us the latest statistics regarding polio in India and the world.

This gentleman is a functionary of the World Health Organization, with whom Rotary and the local governments cooperate in our efforts to eradicate polio from the world. We all sat for the opening ceremony (and did I say that NOBODY does ceremony like they are done in India???) and were officially greeted by the Chief Medical Officer and Rotarians from Gurgaon – a city of approximately 1.2 million, which has four Rotary Clubs and is the closest area where there are Rotary Clubs. Many were presented with bouquets of flowers – another Indian tradition, and several, including myself, were invited to address the gathering.

Joining us for this rally were about one hundred students from the ROTARY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF GURGAON, who were dressed in their uniforms, and wearing yellow POLIO PLUS baseball-type caps, emblazoned with the Rotary emblem. I had the pleasure of visiting this school five years ago, and was so impressed by the students, as well as the fact that approximately one-half of the students come from families living way below the poverty level, but who are able to attend the school because of the generosity of Rotarians in the area who have established a substantial scholarship program. In addition, a relatively high percentage of students are victims of polio, being forced to get around in wheelchairs or by using crutches. Some of the students carried banners announcing the N.I.D. on the 10th, and all displayed an incredible level of enthusiasm for the rally.

Once the speeches were concluded, we gathered at the gate to the hospital and proceeded to march along behind the students for a few kilometers around Sohna. I was pleased to see that a few of the Rotarians from the Delhi-West Club had made the effort to drive the two hours from the city out to Sohna to meet our team and to be a part of the pre-N.I.D. rally. One of those Rotarians is a victim of polio and each year he heartily endorses the efforts of fellow club members and of Rotary International, by participating in the N.I.D. programs every time.

We marched along the streets of Sohna, waving at the children and the shopkeepers, dodging puddles in our way, as well as the occasional “deposit” left by the cows and the water buffaloes, who roam the streets foraging for hay or straw or any other morsels they can find. The entire “march” lasted about an hour, and we returned to the buses to travel back up “Switch-back Mountain” to the farm.

We enjoyed another fine selection of local dishes at dinner and listened to Sanjiv while he described the activities for the next morning – the National Immunization Day. Our team, along with probably two hundred thousand other volunteers and paid medical staffers throughout the country would all work together to make sure the children under the age of five would receive their “Drops of Life” before the end of the day.

Not only would the sun come out tomorrow, but also it would be a VERY GOOD DAY. We would each have the opportunity to place two drops of vaccine on the tongues of children, ensuring that at least THEY would be saved from the crippling, debilitating ravages of polio.