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THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2004 THE NEW TANNER 9 see se POLIO FIGHTER: Acton's Amy Yateman dispenses a dose of oral polio vaccine to a child in the Indian village of Ononau during her recent trip with Ro- tary Club of Acton members on a humanitarian mission. - Submitted photo BLARNEY & BALLOONS: There was no hiding the Irish ancestry of Sobeys franchisee Bill Graham as he and partner Elizabeth Green celebrated St. Patrick's Day early on Friday with Irish food and song at their Acton store. - Frances Niblock photo A by 130 Mill Street East, Suite #102, Acton (519) 853-1333 We offer a variety of Tanning packages & lotions. m= ft (Stee. =o eh. Rotarians take vaccine to children Continued on page 8 I felt that way - we were sign- ing autographs and the children were just like - you know their eyes got huge when they saw us and they wanted to be with us and walk with us," Yateman said. Despite precautions, Yateman became ill at the end of the trip, and it took a while to recover once she came home. But, that didn't deter Yateman; she is al- ready planning to make a Rotary PolioPlus trip to Africa next year. Rotarian Emrys Jenkins, who introduced Yateman to the PolioPlus project, said the trip gave him a "huge sense of sat- isfaction." Jenkins said they saw primi- tive poverty, horrendous traffic with non-stop noise, but also sumptuous hotels at cheap rates. He said along with. ad- ministering the vaccine, their work promoting the PolioPlus program with press releases and meetings with health offi- cials and villagers was just as important. Jenkins said the Rotary Club's sponsorship of the pro- gram was demonstrated in one village where a doctor took them to a house where the par- ents had repeatedly refused to have their children immunized, until Rotary officials, including himself, showed up at the door. "As the gossip got around the village that there were Rotarians there who had actu- ally purchased the serum and wete there to endorse the pro- gram, people brought their children out," Jenkins said on Sunday, adding, "we made a difference." That sentiment was echoed by Rotarian and Acton busi- nessman Rob Charette, the Acton Club's international di- rector, who said he got a lot more out of the trip than he gave. "Tt was an amazing educa- tion," Charette said on Monday. "Tt was cultural, it was geo- graphic, it was historical and it was emotional," he said. Charette said he was amazed that in a country seven times smaller than Canada, with 1.2- billion people, it was not "solid people," but they worked in lit- tle villages with mud roofs and thatched huts out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by beautiful farmland. He said the highlight of the trip for him came when he was walking through the slums of Lucknow with another worker, knocking on doors looking for children younger than five to immunize against polio. He said an elderly, poorly dressed man came to the door ofa tiny hut, holding a plate of food, and after saying there were no children of that age, invited them to dinner. "There wasn't enough food on that plate to feed one per- son, never mind six, but yet they were still willing to share that food because guests are God," Charette said, explain- ing that people think that if God sent a guest to their door, they are living life right. "T walked out of there in tears." Charette said he'd participate in another PolioPlus program "in a heartbeat" and is looking into a trip to the Philippines. The Indian trip was the first time the Rotary Club of Acton had sent members to participate in an international program, other than exchange students, although the Acton club has supported the PolioPlus pro- gram with money for the past 10 years. -- & Fold Service Tuesdays & Thursdays 79¢ Ib Begininning March 23! Try our extra capacity TRIPLE LOAD WASHERS & DRYERS Mill & Willow Open 8-8 daily Plenty of Parking soo nau ad eel dg ee eee aera TT vm PUERTO PLATA Bahia Principe San Juan # 24-HOUR ALL INCLUSIVE VARADERO Bahia Principe Varadero 24-HOUR ALL INCLUSIVE PUERTO PLATA e MAYAN RIVIERA ¢ VARADERO Bahia Principe Clubs & Resorts offer guests a host of ways in which to relax and enjoy their leisure time. MAYAN RIVIERA Bahia Principe Tulum 24-HOUR ALL INCLUSIVE TRAVEL SERVICE LIMITED "Best Price, Best Service Since 1972" 7 NIGHTS 7 NIGHTS 7 NIGHTS, . April 17, 24, May 8 Apri 16, 23 May 2.9, 16 Flights from Toronto VIA Air Transat. Prices shown are per person, based on double occupancy. Prices subject to availability at time of booking and subject to change. Taxes and travel related fees are extra, For full details refer to the World of Vacations Beaches & Island brochure, Ont Reg. #50009487 & #50009488. 519-853-1553 1-888-833-8953 FAX: 519-853-1559 379 Queen St., Acton ON L7J 2N2