当麹町ロータリークラブの会員であった故山田彝さん、故峰英二さんのお二人は早くからポリオの惨状に深い関心を寄せ、南インドでポリオに苦しむ子供達にポリオワクチンの供与を２回に亘り実施され、その状況をつぶさに報告されました。この報告がポリオ撲滅運動提唱の原動力となり、東京の２地区を通じ国際ロータリーのポリオプラス撲滅運動に発展致しました。
国際ロータリーは１９８６年７月から５年間に亘り、地球上からポリオ・麻疹・ジフテリア・結核・百日咳・破傷風等の撲滅を願い、１億２千万ドル（約２百億円　日本担当分４０億円）を目標として募金キャンペーンを実施し１９９１年６月募金総額２億１７００万ドルに達し、当初の目標を遥かに越えてこのキャンペーンを終了しました。
この機会に当クラブは山田・峰社会奉仕賞を創設し、国際ロータリーポリオプラス活動に献身され、風土病に倒れた故山田・峰両会員の御冥福を祈り、功績を顕彰し、社会奉仕の分野において優れた活動を行い、顕著な業績を上げられた個人、グループ、団体を表彰し、これによって社会奉仕活動の充実発展に寄与しようとするものであります。

The late Tsune Yamada and the late Hideiji Mine, both members of Tokyo Kojimachi Rotary Club, were deeply troubled by the scourge of polio from early on, providing polio vaccines to the children of southern India on two occasions and reporting on their activities in detail. This report became the catalyst for the polio elimination movement, which spread first throughout the two Districts within Tokyo, before blossoming into the Global Polio Eradication Initiative of Rotary International.
Rotary International began its fundraising five-year drive in July 1986 to eradicate polio, measles, diphtheria, tuberculosis, pertussis, tetanus, and other diseases, with an initial goal of $120 million (about \20 billion, of which Japan was to provide \4 billion). When the drive ended in June 1991, the funds raised far exceeded expectations, reaching $217 million.
Our club took this opportunity to establish the Yamada-Mine Social Service Award as a way to honor the memory of Rotarians Yamada and Mine, who both died of illnesses contracted during their service in the Rotary International Polio Plus initiative. It recognizes the achievements of individuals, groups, and bodies that have conducted valuable community service activities and produced notable results, in an effort to promote the growth of community service initiatives.