Manhattan Konza Rotary
Manhattan Konza Rotarian members are taking action on October 23, 2020 —for World Polio Day to raise awareness, funds, and support to end polio, a vaccine-preventable disease that still threatens children in parts of the world today.
The Purple Pinky Project will raise $20000 towards Global Polio Eradication. The Manhattan Konza Club is partnering with our local HyVee to sell 10 Longjohn Donuts per box (the donuts are frosted with a purple tip). The significance of the purple tip on the donut is - each vaccinated child has their pinky finger painted purple for identification purposes. Through matching contributions from the Rotary District and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation each box of donuts will result in a $56 donation to End Polio. The money goes towards purchasing the vaccine ($3 to immunize each child), research, detection of the poliovirus and transportation to get the vaccine to the children. The donuts are being distributed on Friday, October 23, 2020 at HyVee- under the Pharmacy drive thru from 7:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
When Rotary and its partners launched the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, there were 350,000 cases of polio in 125 countries every year. We’ve made great progress against the disease since then. Today, polio cases have been reduced by 99.9 percent, and just two countries continue to report cases of wild poliovirus: Afghanistan and Pakistan. And we remain committed to the end.
With polio nearly eradicated, Rotary and its partners must sustain this progress and continue to reach every child with the polio vaccine. Without full funding and political commitment, this paralyzing disease could return to polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk. Rotary has committed to raising US$50 million each year to support global polio eradication efforts. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged to match that 2-to-1, for a total yearly contribution of $150 million.
Joan Pierce, End Polio Chairperson said, “Manhattan Konza Rotary has always participated in raising funds for End Polio, but this year we’re raising the most money we’ve ever raised in the history of the club.”