Tucson, AZ — November 22, 2025
Mitch Selking and Rotary Del Sol Club President John Heck joined Rotary International General Secretary John Hewko and thousands of Rotarians worldwide in El Tour de Tucson, one of the largest cycling events in the United States, to raise funds for Rotary's Polio Plus prevention programs.
The two District 5520 Rotarians completed their rides before desert rains arrived, battling persistent wind to finish alongside more than 9,000 cyclists participating in the annual event.
Miles to End Polio: A Global Movement
Each November, Rotary International's General Secretary leads a team of staff members and Rotary members cycling up to 100 miles in El Tour de Tucson specifically to raise funds for polio eradication. The ride has become one of Rotary's signature fundraising events, with participants training for months and securing sponsorships to maximize impact.
Through the Miles to End Polio program, Rotary has raised more than $53.3 million for eradication efforts—including matching funds from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which triples every dollar contributed.
Why This Ride Matters
For Mitch Selking, participation was deeply personal. "In my youth, I saw firsthand the effects of polio," he shared before the ride. "Polio affected my family and my friends. Now I see it in the survivors of polio."
While polio has largely disappeared from American consciousness, Selking emphasized the ongoing threat: "Other countries' experiences are more devastating. This disease spreads easily and rapidly, which is why we need to stop it now."
His firsthand experience with polio's impact represents a generation of Americans who remember when the disease paralyzed tens of thousands of children annually in the United States alone. For them, polio isn't history—it's memory.
The 2:1 Match Advantage
Every dollar raised through Miles to End Polio is matched 2:1 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, tripling the impact of every contribution. This partnership between Rotary International and the Gates Foundation has been instrumental in bringing polio to the brink of eradication.
When Rotary launched its polio eradication effort in 1985, the disease paralyzed 350,000 children annually across 125 countries. Today, polio remains endemic in just two countries, and cases have dropped by more than 99.9%.
District 5520 Participation
Selking and Heck's participation connects District 5520 to a global effort, demonstrating how individual Rotarians contribute to Rotary International's most ambitious and longest-running project.
"Thank you to all who donated and to all who have committed to donate to the polio plus campaign through this ride," Selking wrote after completing the tour. "I greatly appreciate the support."
Their rides—completed despite challenging weather conditions—represent the sustained commitment required to finish the final stage of polio eradication. Ironically, the last miles are often the hardest, requiring persistent funding and political will to reach the final pockets of transmission.
Rotary's Polio Legacy
Rotary has contributed more than $2.7 billion and countless volunteer hours to the global polio eradication effort over four decades. The organization's partnership with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has created one of the most successful public health campaigns in history.
District 5520 Rotarians like Selking and Heck continue supporting this work through fundraising events like Miles to End Polio, ensuring the finish line comes into view for a generation of children who will never know the fear of polio.
To support Rotary's polio eradication efforts or learn more about Miles to End Polio, visit endpolio.org/miles-to-end-polio.