Mike McGovern Provides a Polio Update in Bridgton By: Nancy Hawes, South Portland - Cape Elizabeth RC  Assistant Governor Julie Forbes and the Bridgton-Lake Region Rotary Club hosted a discussion on May 29 with Michael McGovern, chair of RI’s PolioPlus Committee. Mike likened Rotary’s mission to eradicate polio with John F. Kennedy’s aspiration to put a man on the moon. JFK said, “We choose to go to the moon…and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills.” This is certainly true of the fight against polio as well. And the campaign is becoming increasingly harder with the threat of the US withdrawal of its annual $265 million contribution towards polio eradication. But as Bridgton-Lake Region club president Dr. Lisa Ryan said in her introduction “Rotary doesn’t back down, we double down.” And in our district, we seem to be doing that already – D7780 PolioPlus chair Ron Smith reported that so far this year Rotarians and clubs in our district have donated over $67,000 to PolioPlus, an increase of about 20% from this time last year. (THANK YOU!!!) Mike relayed the sad fact that from time to time in Afghanistan vaccinators or members of their security detail are killed – not because of any objection to vaccination but as a protest against the government. Mike said, “We’re asked to give money but we’re not asked for our lives.” In summarizing, Mike said that we need to get this done because the children of the world are depending on us to get this done, and because there are other things that we need to do. Mike was asked if he thought we would eradicate polio; his reponse: “YES.” Rotarians in Photo: (L-R) D7780 PolioPlus Chair Ron Smith, Fryeburg Area RC AG Julie Forbes, Bridgton-Lake Region RC Mike McGovern, SPCE RC Dr. Lisa Ryan, President, Bridgton-Lake Region RC DG-E Emma Bodwell, Bridgton-Lake Region RC |
Here we are in June of 2025, which came much too quickly. As our Rotary year winds down, our District is ramping up for an amazing year ahead. As I previously stated in an earlier newsletter, I knew this journey would go by very quickly. I have mixed feelings as my governorship comes to an end. I feel a sense of sadness as I wish I could have been more present, but at the same time I am so very grateful to have been able to have the opportunity to serve and the experiences which I did. I knew the very best part of the job would be the visits to clubs and meeting you all and hearing about and seeing the work you do locally and globally. 
Emma Bodwell, District 7780 Governor Elect
Grant success! This is an update on Global Grant GG2571582. Significant gains have been made in teacher education in Uganda. The focus of the grant was enhancing basic education and literacy in partnership with Uganda's Juliet Kyokunda and Rotary District 9214. This project successfully transformed education by providing teacher training, technological infrastructure, and educational resources to underserved communities.
.png)
