The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1939-01-26
I ig nt Infantile Paralysis
By Giving At Least A Dime
Campaign Is Now On. Buy A
Button. Over 100 Cripple
Children In County.

IN Ashe county, as well as
throughout the nation, a great
drive for funds with which to
night Infantile Paralysis and to
and crippled children to be able
to live normal lives again, is now
well under way.
Never before has such a drive
swept the country aaginst a COM
mon foe. Three unique plans are
being followed this year. first,
The March of Dimes" campaign;
second, the Presidents Birthday
balls and third messages.
Adults and school children
have, an opportunity to "give a
dime" to the great movement.
Scattered throughout the coun-
try are bowls containing buttons,
with coin can for the dime. No
vel coin cards are being distribut-
ed through the schools.
For years polio has stalked the
land and local attempts to re-
sist the invader have not been
successful. There are over 100
crippled children in Ashe coun-
ty now and many of them are
members of needy families.
The disease strikes mostly at
little children. It used to attack
those under age of five years but
now it has moved into the ranks
of children a little older and most
cases are occurring in boys and
girls of from five to ten years
old.
In the week of this terrible dis
ease are over $4,000 persons
with crippled bodies. In addition
there are probably hundreds of
neglected cases unreported and
un-cared for, children growing
up to be crippled for life when
little proper care now would
rehabilitate them.
Gradually, through many years,
public attention of citizens has
been focused upon the Infantile
Paralysis problem. President
Roosevelt, himself a sufferer, has
led the fight.
Last year the National Foun-
dation for Infantile Paralysis
was created-a permanent organ
ization designed to do everything
possible to combat the disease on
united front. This year the
foundation is taking another step
forward in the advance against
polio. Permanent chapters en-
bracing all counties are to be set
up following the close of the cam
paign on January 30th, President
Roosevelt's 57th birthday.
The funds raised this year will
be divided on $3.50 basis. One
half of the proceeds will 60 to
the National Foundation. The 9TH
er half will be held in trust and
be turned over to the local chap
tiers when they are established.
The dollars going into the Ma
tional Foundation will be sent
out again throughout the land
as ammunition in the fight. No
endowment fund is being set UP
because funds are so urgently
needed now. The foundation is
making plans for education of
doctors and parents on how to di-
agnose and treat polio. It will
use money for research for the
control of epidemics and to help
in the treatment of after-effects.
The funds placed in the hands
of the local chapters will be spent
as the chapter sees fit for local
aid in the community where the
money was raised.
In this years campaign ten
thousand chairmen have been
modified. Nearly every city and
town in the land will have it's
celebration or will participate in
some way in the drive In many
localities a great March of
Dimes is under way. Citizens
are asked to give a dime and
wear a button"