'The Gift' from Rotary To The Children of the World

'The Gift' from Rotary To The Children of the World. July 2019. Blank Children's Hospital stands here today because of the generosity of A.H. and Anna Blank. The Blanks were steadfast in their philanthropic mission to build a children's hospital in memory of their son, Raymond Blank. At the time, Iowa had the highest rate of polio in the country but no dedicated children's hospital., Raymond had been appointed by President Roosevelt as the State Chairman of the Polio Foundation. Mr. Blank met with President F.D. Roosevelt on April 7, 1943 to request special permission for construction materials to be used for the building of a civilian hospital for children., The President fast-tracked the approvals needed to access construction supplies during wartime. Raymond Blank Memorial Hospital for Children was dedicated December 1944. Thousands of Iowa children were cared for by a dedicated team of doctors and nurses during the polio epidemic., With the help of the Rotary Club of Des Moines members and many in the community, Blank Children's Hospital became a renowned center for the treatment of polio and other childhood diseases. The U.S. polio crisis persisted for nearly a decade after the end of World War II until a vaccine developed by Jonas Salk became widely available., Rotarians thank Blank Children's Hospital for allowing 'The Gift' to be displayed on their grounds., PolioPlus is the vision of a world free from Poliomyelitis, a disease feared for centuries. In 1985, The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International began its efforts to provide large quantities of vaccine and an immunization program to deliver vaccine to children around the world. With volunteerism from more than 35,000 Rotary clubs, Rotarians have united across political boundaries and religious beliefs to administer polio vaccinations., To learn more about Polio go to rotary.org, This sculpture celebrates the commitment of Rotary District 6000 Rotarians to help eradicate polio from the world., Through their generosity and participation in National Immunization Days, the end of polio is in sight.