Shots for Tots

Rubella, chicken pox, measles and polio are among the 11 childhood diseases that can be prevented with a simple shot.

But having your kids immunized against these can be troublesome, especially if you don’t have a family physician and no means of health care.

The Health Department in Fort Myers provides shots, but many in Bonita Springs just don’t have the time or resources to make the hike.

And they don’t have to. Ira Hawk, a volunteer and Bonita Springs community leader, has spent the last 10 years making sure more than 10,000 shots were given to infants and toddlers as part of the “Shots for Tots” program.

The program, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bonita Springs, allows families to bring their infants in for shots, which are administered by the Health Department at no charge.

“I do this primarily to make immunizations available to children in our area,” said Hawk, who suffered from polio as a child and doesn’t want others to endure the same fate. “Certain immunizations are available from people’s family physicians, but a lot of our clients don’t have physicians.”

Many low-income families and undocumented workers don’t qualify for health aid, so Hawk has continued to administer shots every first Tuesday of the month for the last ten years.

He has only missed a few months in that time. He will miss July this year because of the Independence Day holiday.

Free shots will resume in August — just in time to get immunization records up to date for children starting school.

“The children bring in their shot records or the health department keeps them in a laptop,” said Holly Hollingsworth, a rotarian and publicity chairman for the program. “It’s a very good system, and it ensures people are registered.”

She helps Hawk on Tuesdays by registering clients and making sure they get the shots they need.

“Nothing should stop these children from being protected. That is our goal, that they won’t have these diseases,” Hollingsworth said.

The “Shots for Tots” program is open to the community at the First Presbyterian Church of Bonita Springs on June 6.

“This clinic is our opportunity to bring these immunizations back to our community,” Hawk said.