Letters to the editor

October 24 is World Polio Day

To the editor:

October 24 is recognized by Rotary Clubs around the world as World Polio Day. Rotary has been working to eradicate polio for more than 35 years and we are closer than ever to getting rid of this devastating debilitating disease forever.

It wasn’t that long ago that America, yes, even Alaska, was plagued by polio. Alaska had its outbreak in the early 1950’s. It was particularly hard on Alaska native children. By 1954 there were 365 documented polio cases in Alaska, more than the previous 15 years combined. Half or 189 individuals developed some paralysis. Not only did my father-in-law contract polio, so did his two siblings, his brother was left paralyzed, and wheelchair bound for the rest of his life.

Mass immunization started in 1955, and I remember lining up at school to get my shot along with everyone else. Then there was the March of Dimes, a charity focused on helping children left paralyzed by polio. The United States didn’t achieve eradication until 1979.

That same year, one Rotary Club in the Philippines set about to vaccinate children in their country. The story of becoming polio-free was capturing the minds of people across the world-it was possible. What if Rotarians made it a global initiative? Rotary International became a founding member of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, along with the World Health Organization and many other international health organizations. Since that time, polio cases have dropped by 99.9 percent.

Rotary members have contributed more than $2.1 billion and countless volunteer hours to protect nearly 3 billion children in 122 countries from this paralyzing disease. Rotary’s advocacy efforts have played a role in decisions by governments to contribute more than $10 billion to the effort. The Gates Foundation has been a generous partner with Rotary in the fight to finally bring this disease to its end.

Today, polio remains endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It’s crucial to continue working to keep other countries polio-free. If all eradication efforts stopped today, within 10 years, polio could paralyze as many as 200,000 children each year.

Each vaccine costs about $3 to administer and since 2017, Rotary has vaccinated 430 million children in 39 countries.

So many young Americans haven’t even heard of polio or know what a terrorizing disease it was. World Polio Day provides an opportunity to highlight the global efforts toward a polio-free world and honor the tireless contributions of those Rotarians and their partners on the frontlines in the fight to eradicate polio from every corner of the globe. District 5010 Rotarians continue to donate money and time, volunteer for immunization trips, and raise awareness that the fight isn’t over.

Brenda Hewitt,

Susitna Rotary

Lost sight of civility

In today's deeply polarized political climate, it feels as though we have lost sight of one of the most fundamental aspects of leadership: civility. In 1968, my grandfather, Paul Mahoney, received a letter f Senator Ted Stevens while they were running against one another in an open primary, representing different political parties. Despite their competition and differences in ideology, their correspondence was marked by mutual respect and a shared commitment to the common good of Alaska. It serves as a reminder of a time when dialogue, not division, was the foundation of political discourse.

My grandfather was a homesteader in Alaska before statehood, and ever since, our family has been dedicated to bringing hard work, strong ethics, and innovation to this great state. In 1994, I was fortunate to intern for Senator Frank Murkowski and had many opportunities to interact, debate and collaborate with Senator Stevens and his staff. Even then, the spirit of open dialogue, respectful disagreement, and collaborative problem-solving was a key part of Senator Stevens' values. He demonstrated, until the very end of his service, that progress comes not from hostility, but from working together.

Today, more than ever, we all need to do our part to restore this attitude of honor, respect, and teamwork among ourselves and to require it of our elected leaders. Regardless of political affiliation, it is crucial that we remember true leadership is defined not by what separates us but by how we come together to solve the challenges we face.

With the election so close at hand, let us honor the legacy of leaders and homesteaders like Senator Stevens and Paul Mahoney, who understood that progress is only possible when we work together—not as adversaries, but as partners in service of our families, communities and state.

Sparrow Mahoney,

Wasilla