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WATERVILLE — Rotary members in Waterville are among the thousands worldwide taking action around World Polio Day, Oct. 24, to raise awareness, money and support to end polio.
Polio is a vaccine-preventable disease that threatens children in many parts of the world. Rotary Club of Waterville is hosting a Purple Pinkie Cookie Basket fundraiser on Tuesday, Oct. 24, with all proceeds going to Rotary International’s Polio Plus Fund.
Waterville Rotarians will place for sale purple baskets full of homemade cookies dipped in purple chocolate in the workplaces and public spaces of Waterville Rotary Club members.
The purple signifies the purple dye used to mark the pinkies of children who have been immunized from polio in countries where the disease is still a threat.
Since Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative nearly 30 years ago, polio has plummeted by more than 99.9 percent, from about 350,000 cases a year to 37 confirmed as of Sept. 19. To sustain this progress, and protect all children from polio, experts say $1.5 billion is urgently needed, the organization says. Without full funding and political commitment, this paralyzing disease could return to previously polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk.
“There are only three countries in the world — Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan — that still have active cases of polio, but they are among the most difficult to access. If there are still children in the world at risk, all children are at risk of this crippling disease” said Buffy Clifford Higgins, president of Rotary Club of Waterville.
To order a basket for your business, contact Rotarian Nate Towne at Nathan@watervillecreates.org. The deadline to order is Monday, Oct. 16.
