The Rotary Club of Selma and Rotary International celebrated an important anniversary July 24.

The date marked one year of no new cases of polio in Nigeria, a disease the organization has been fighting to eradicate for years.

Poliovirus is an enterovirus that can cause paralysis if a polio vaccine is not administered. TRotary International is working to progress efforts made in other polio-endemic countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The organization, composed of business people and community leaders, has raised funds through its PolioPlus initiative, which was established in 1985 and allows members to raise and donate funds to stop the spread of the disease across the globe.

“The goal is to eliminate polio in the world,” said Rotary Club of Selma President Manera Searcy. “We’re very proud of that. We’ve spent nearly $700 million in eradicating polio over the world. All of the clubs donate to PolioPlus and whatever we contribute is matched 2 to 1 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.”

“It just makes me proud to be a part of the organization, even though we’re just a little small club here,” she said. “Every little bit helps. It takes one person helping to make a difference.”

With 40 active members in the Selma Chapter, Searcy said the organization has done much to combat polio. She said one of the chapter’s members even traveled to India to administer the vaccine to children.

“I feel we’re trying to make a difference from our little corner of the world,” she said.