WASHBURN, Maine — The Rotary Club of Washburn is marking World Polio Day, Oct. 24, with a Purple Pinkie Project at Washburn District Elementary and High schools.
For a donation, participants can have their pinkie painted purple to show support to Rotary’s End Polio Now effort. This same symbol is used during immunization efforts to show that a child has received the vaccine, in order to prevent double doses.
The activity aims to raise awareness of Rotary International’s efforts to eradicate polio worldwide and to raise money for that effort, said Washburn Rotarian Cindy Richendollar. More than 2.5 billion children have been immunized globally since 1988, and there are now just three countries that haven’t been declared polio-free.
There will also be a Purple Pinkie Station at the Rotary Hunter’s Breakfast from 5 to 8 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Trailrunners’ Snowmobile Club.
