Posted by Suzanne Gibson on Apr 17, 2018
RILEE has lived a life of great humanitarian service.  Her first life was dedicated to saving lives by breathing for polio patients ; in her second life, she served as an exhibit at the G.Whiz Children’s Museum in Sarasota, FL;  and now will enter a third life as a mobile museum serving northern Illinois.
 
Charter Sponsors have funded RILEE’s preparation for her third life of service: her custom trailer, her graphic design, her insurance, her license, her care and feeding
 
Inspired by the trailer designed by Roger Frank, Upper Eden Rotary Club, England and  featured in the Rotarian Magazine in February 2017, the quest began to secure an iron lung for District 6440 and with collaboration with Districts 6450 and 6420, the project came to fruition.
 
The Iron Lung Task force emerged to tackle the puzzling challenges of how to display RILEE, how to make her available to clubs and how to care for her.  Thank you to Donald Brewer DG 6440, Scott McAdam, DG 6450, Steve Kuhn,DG 6420, Suzanne and Mark Gibson, Kat Beringer, Paul Metivier, Rick and Helen Rivkin, Carol Wells, Linda Borton, Sarah Oliver.
 
It is our ardent desire that RILEE will spark an emotional connection between our youth—the post polio generation—and  Rotary’s signature international project, polio eradication and inspire donations to the End Polio Now campaign.
 
RILEE has two salient messages to deliver:
  • As long as one child is diagnosed with polio, every child in the world is at risk, and
  • Immunizations must continue for at least three years after the last diagnosed case.
 
RILEE is now ready for display at your Rotary events. Reserve RILEE for your events by clicking here