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Off to Africa: Rotarians help in Ghana's National Immunization Day!
by Barbara Ogden

Mad River Rotarian Eleanor Sullivan. Photo by Barbara Clark.

Occasionally around the McKinIeyville Senior Center someone will ask about our former director Eleanor Sullivan and what she is up to now that she's retired. We always tell folks that she's not retired but busier than ever-and now we're telling them she's "off to Africa," Ghana to be exact

Eleanor has been a member of the Mad River Rotary Club for years. She will be representing the club in Ghana this October as part of a team of Rotarians who were invited by the Ghana Rotarians to participate in their National Immunization Day activities.

In 1985 Rotarians worldwide made polio eradication their commitment. Rotarians have contributed $500 million through fund-raisers, investment of capital and individual club donations toward their goal of immunizing the world against polio. As important as the financial support, Rotarians have contributed millions of volunteer hours to promote and participate in National Polio Immunization Days.

Ghana is a country in Western Africa with a population of 17 million people, about the size of Oregon. Ghana has a reputation as being a country with the friendliest people in Africa. Eleanor will love it. English is the primary language. Eleanor will love it.

She is a people person and will absorb the smiles, the voices, the sights and the smells of this country. She is eager to come home and tell us all about it.

Is she excited? Yes-and perhaps a little anxious. At 71 years young, this is a marvelous opportunity, but a little scary. But Eleanor is a giver, and this trip is right up her alley. She will be in the thick of things immediately, and a stranger is a friend she hasn't met yet.

All of us at the McKinleyville Senior Center are proud of Eleanor. We hope she has a wonderful time, learns a lot, and makes many new friends. We wonder if she knows how to give injections. If she shows up around the center with a syringe, practicing, watch out!

Barbara Ogden is director of the McKinleyville Senior Center.

One-time article Copyright 2000 by Humboldt Senior Resource Center .