PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — With the help of Rotary Clubs in Caribou, Fort Fairfield, Limestone, Mars Hill and Washburn, the University of Maine at Presque Isle and the Presque Isle Rotary Club have declared the fifth annual World Polio Day and Purple Pinkie Project celebration, held Oct. 22-29 throughout central Aroostook, an overwhelming success.
All activities during that week helped to raise awareness of Rotary International’s efforts to eradicate polio worldwide. The official World Polio Day was Oct. 24.
Combined efforts among the clubs helped to raise more than $4,400 for that global effort, the most ever raised during the celebration.
“We are ecstatic about how World Polio Day activities have helped to raise so much awareness and funding for Rotary International’s End Polio Now efforts,” Presque Isle Rotary Club President Gina LeBlanc-Eggert said. “For five years, we’ve seen such an incredible outpouring of community support during World Polio Day celebrations and particularly our Purple Pinkie Project activities. Thousands of County people have participated in Purple Pinkie Project efforts over the last half-decade and we’d like to thank each and every one of them and our fellow Rotary Clubs for joining us in this important work.”
“The Purple Pinkie Project was well received by the students and staff at Mars Hill’s schools,” said Edward Wright, project lead for the Rotary Club of Mars Hill. “It was important that we explained what polio is, and how they could each help another child to be protected from this dreadful disease. We gave them an opportunity to help, and that is what Rotary is all about.”
The clubs hosted several Purple Pinkie Project stations around the region. Volunteers were on hand to color the pinkies of anyone willing to donate $1 toward Rotary International’s “End Polio Now” campaign; $1 is the estimated cost to immunize one child from polio, so a purple pinkie serves as a symbol for one polio immunization.
Internationally, when Rotary International conducts polio immunizations, they color pinkies purple as a simple method to prevent double dosages.
With much of the funds raised just $1 at a time, Rotary District 7810 Governor Ginny Joles said of this year’s celebration: “Together, we made a huge ‘fingerprint’ against polio.”
Between Oct. 22 and 29, several Purple Pinkie stations were hosted by Rotarians at area schools, including in Presque Isle, Mars Hill, Easton, Mapleton, Houlton and Limestone, and businesses including MMG and The Aroostook Medical Center. Fort Fairfield Rotarians hosted a station at their Cash Draw Event on Oct. 22, and the Caribou club collected donations at the Caribou Craft Fair that same weekend.
On the evening of Oct. 28, during the Limestone Rotary Club’s 66th annual auction, Limestone Rotarians emphasized polio eradication efforts. Activities capped off with one last Purple Pinkie table on Oct. 29, hosted by the Washburn Rotary Club during its annual Hunters Breakfast at the Washburn Trailrunners Club.
The effort received a special donation of $250 from Mason Allen and his family of Presque Isle. Mason’s grandfather, Kenny Allen, had polio as a child. The family explained that people don’t seem to be as familiar as they used to be with the disease, so when they heard about the Purple Pinkie Project, they wanted to help make an impact. They said their donation was their way of supporting the cause and helping to put an end to a disease that affected Mason’s pappy.
“It was a joy to have Fort Fairfield able to bring the Purple Pinkie Project to our annual cash draw once again,” said Lauren Kenneson, project lead for the Rotary Club of Fort Fairfield. “People were very responsive and curious to help the cause. We look forward to doing it again next year!”
“As Sergeant-at-Arms of the Rotary Club of Limestone and Instructor at the Maine School of Science and Mathematics, I am particularly proud of our student collaboration in promoting our fundraiser,” Larry Berz said. “Both students from MSSM as well as the Limestone Community School showed ample energy and ongoing effort in soliciting contributions towards the eradication of polio globally.”
“The Rotary Club of Washburn held a Purple Pinkie event at our annual Hunter’s Breakfast, on October 29, with the hunters, families, and friends participating,” Cindy Richendollar, Foundation Chair for the Rotary Club of Washburn, said. “In this, our second year of club participation, we had a lot of fun and are grateful for the generosity toward polio eradication.”
The first annual World Polio Day and Purple Pinkie Project event in 2012 drew about 1,000 people and initially raised well above $2,000. Last year’s event raised more than $2,500 and saw an even greater number of community members participate.
Since Rotary International began the fight against polio in 1985, the disease has been reduced by more than 99 percent to less than 300 cases so far this year. Attention is focused on three countries—Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan.
“The Caribou Rotary Club will continue with our drive year round instead of one hard push,” said Steve Mazerolle of the Caribou club. “We will keep the eradication of polio on our minds, and the children in our hearts.”
