This is a special year for the End Polio Now Campaign because the disease is now confined to only one country (Afghanistan),  there has been only one case so far this year and so it is possible that this could be the year polio is defeated. 
 
Starting on March 5th, Jim Czarnowski, a member of the Rotary Club of El Camino Real, Oceanside, will attempt to pedal his Hobie kayak from Tampa Bay to Key Largo Florida as part of 350 mile rigorous adventure race, the Everglades Challenge.  The event is an un-supported, expedition-style venture across open ocean as well as through the wilds of the Everglades National Park.  
 
Czarnowski will surely be pushed to the limits of his physical and mental abilities.   "I was so inspired at the PETS seminar last weekend after hearing keynote speaker Ramesh Ferris' talk on the End Polio Now, I decided I must dedicate my effort on the Everglades Challenge to help raise the money needed in this final push to eradicate polio, which can hopeful happen this year!," said Czarnowski. 
 
Sponsorship contributions can be made online at: https://app.mobilecause.com/f/r4y/n or by texting "nopolio" to 41444.  Learn more by watching the following videos:
 
Starting on March 5th, you can follow Czarnowski's progress via a satellite tracking device.  Here is a link to the Everglades Challenge tracking map: http://www.watertribe.com/Events/ChallengeGMapper.aspx?RaceID=EC2016 Select "Penguinman" (that's Czarnowski) and click "regenerate view"