As we approach World Polio Day on October 24, think about how your club might raise some extra money to End Polio Now.

Roswell Rotary is expanding its fundraising by soliciting donors to sponsor First Responders in a tennis/pickleball clinic at a local country club. Clinics are very simple: contact a local country club and hire two tennis pros to conduct a clinic for both Rotary club members and the four main departments of local first responders: Police, Fire, EMTs, and 911 Dispatchers. Collect a $500 donation (to Polio for example) cover four First Responders. With a team from each of the four departments, that’s 4x4 =16 First Responders who play for free and are honored at the event by your club and local media. With $150 worth of water, Gatorade, snacks and adult beverages, the cost can be less $500.

An upgrade - for $1000 donation, a donor has name put on a perpetual plaque to hang in the department. Plaques cost $100-$125, so the plaque total for all four branches is about $500, one time. Now it becomes an annual event!

Why it works: First Responders rarely get thanked with something they can hang on a wall. And it hangs forever. This plaque holds 12 nameplates = 12 donors. Even if it takes years to fill out – that’s $12,000 (or more) for a $125 plaque – with Rotary goodwill all around.

Importantly, the Gates Foundation matches Rotary polio dollars 2-to-1:

• $500 → $1,500 to polio → 4 first responders on court
• $1,000 → $3,000 to polio → 4 on court, plus the donor's name on the department plaque. $36,000 per completed plaque for Polio.

Recruiting is easy. Chiefs pick their own people — as a well-deserved reward, pros run drills, practice volleys, etc. Spectators welcome!

Ask the country club for a slow Wednesday evening. Roswell has had success with 6:30 – 8pm. Courts are empty, the pro shop is glad for the traffic, and Rotarians meet and thank those on the front lines.

Two pros, one afternoon, $150 for drinks and snacks. Email me: World Polio Day is coming up!! lee@leehollingsworth.com