By Anne Matthews
D9560 Passport Rotary Club
Throughout December 2024, the World’s Greatest Meal held a series of festive feasts across the globe, wrapping up US$61,997.79 in gifts to help End Polio Now!
In the December/January 2024-25 edition of Rotary Down Under we featured an article about team members of the World’s Greatest Meal (WGM) holding festive events to raise funds for Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign.
The reports from around the world are now finalised and published, thanks to the commitment and dedication of WGM founder Susanne Rea and Nauman Abbasi.
PICTURED: Governor-elect Rita Zappula, of the Rotary Club of Cairns Sunrise, Qld, and her family donated funds from their Christmas Eve dinner aboard MS Fridtjof Nansen in Antarctica.
In total, 86 events were held in 17 countries with 1,722 participants. And the total funds raised will enable 442,841 children to be vaccinated!
A wonderful variety of events were held, featuring the unique food and celebrations of local cultures from India, Nepal, Canada, the Bahamas, Australia, Brazil, Wales, England, USA, the Virgin Islands and Antigua and Barbuda.
From street parties in Brazil to jazz and tapas in Airlie Beach, Qld, ‘Tea@Claridges’ in Mayfair, London, a malt whiskey society gathering in the Bahamas and a 75th anniversary Christmas dinner in Bolton, Canada, WGM team members had a great time coming up with imaginative ways to raise money to help eradicate polio.
PICTURED: The Rotary Club Cairns Sunrise, Qld, shared its World’s Greatest Meal Festive Feast with Rotary Youth Exchange student to Brazil Daniel Leibinger.
One of the most unusual locations for a Christmas function was reported by District 9560 Governor-elect Rita Zappula, of the Rotary Club of Cairns Sunrise, Qld. Rita and her family had a Christmas Eve dinner while in Antarctica, cruising on HX Hurtigruten Expeditions MS Fridtjof Nansen. After listening to Christmas carols in the atrium, they then enjoyed a beautiful dinner on board.
In Sweden, the Rotary Club of Täby-Attunda hosted 75 attendees at a WGM special concert. In Brazil, one generous member from the Rotary Club of Porto Alegre Beira Rio attended a special Christmas event and raised US$300, while the Rotary Club of Santa Cruz do Sul held a street party to share the images of the decorations in the city’s Main Street.
PICTURED: The Rotary Club Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil, hosted 30 hungry diners and shared the images of the decorations in the city’s Main Street.
In Canada, three members of the Rotary Global Passport Club held a girl’s night out for New Year’s Eve. They attended ‘Harlem Nights’ with The Village’s African American Club. One of their group, PDG and WGM team member Tanya Wolff, won the Charleston dance contest, Shades of the Roaring Twenties!
One entertaining report came from Makoto Kamatani Haynes, of the Rotary Club of Cairns West, Qld, who suggested to her partner, Jeff, that they head out for dinner and make it a WGM. Jeff, being “very frugal” and not very hungry, did not want to spend a lot on a mid-week meal, so suggested they spend less on food and give more to WGM. The intrepid heroes set off, agreeing on a cheap burger restaurant with the idea of donating AU$1 per potato chip to the End Polio Now campaign. It turned out there were only 66 chips in total – not enough according to Makoto. Not wanting to eat any more, however, Jeff added $100 for sauce, pickles, cheese, onion, relish, the bun, two drinks and some ice cream!
Both were happy, with full tummies and the knowledge that the eradication of polio was a little closer. Their contribution totalled US$102.40, which transformed into US$307.20 with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation matching funds. This will pay for 2,194 polio vaccines.
Australia held 16 events in total – all but one in District 9560 – leaving much room for improvement across the zone. Holding a World’s Greatest Meal is an easy way to raise funds and all clubs are encouraged to transform some of their functions into a WGM.
With 93 polio cases reported in the two remaining endemic countries for 2024 (25 in Afghanistan and 68 in Pakistan) compared to 12 in 2023, it is more important than ever for the final push to rid the world of this paralysing disease.
Unless we meet our yearly commitment of US$50 million, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation may not honour their commitment of US$100,000 million. So, if your club hasn’t held a WGM, it’s time to join the table! Eat, drink and be merry, while raising funds for a vital cause.
For information on how to host a World’s Greatest Meal, visit wgmeal.org.
PICTURED: In Canada, three members of the Rotary Global Passport Club helped raise funds from a girls’ night out on New Year’s Eve.
MAIN PICTURE: The Rotary Club of Islamabad, Pakistan, held a December Giving Campaign event on December 30, 2024, raising enough money to fund 1,714 polio vaccines.