Rotary Clubs to Sell Special Doughnuts for Polio Eradication
CANTON, Ohio – Members of Rotary District 6650 in the northeastern Ohio region are joining with other Rotary Clubs around the nation to participate in a fundraiser in recognition of World Polio Day.
Rotarians in these 45 clubs and their high school and college affiliates will sell long john/cream stick doughnuts topped with a dab of purple icing, which represents the purple paint placed on children’s pinkie fingers in developing countries after receiving the polio vaccine.
For every $20 dozen sold, a $9 donation will be made to Rotary International’s End Polio Now initiative. The donation is then eligible for the 2:1 match funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and any other District or Rotary International matching funds available.
Launched in Tennessee in 2018, the Purple Pinkie Donut Project has raised more than $4.7 million for polio eradication. Last year, Rotary District 6650 was the first Ohio District to adopt the program.
“We are proud to join in this successful national project,” said Elayne Bozik, Rotary District 6650 district governor. “Rotaries are driven to continue immunizing kids to eliminate it, and we are eager to work locally and worldwide to help.”
Rotary District 6650 is composed of the following Rotary Clubs: Alliance, Austintown, Boardman, Bolivar-Zoar, Brookfield, Calcutta, Canal Fulton, Canfield, Canton, Canton South, Carrollton, Champion, Columbiana, Cortland, Dalton, Dennison, Dover, East Canton, East Liverpool, East Palestine, Girard-Liberty, Howland Township, Hubbard, Jackson Township, Kinsman, Louisville, Malvern, Massillon, Millersburg, Minerva, New Philadelphia, Newcomerstown, Niles, North Canton, Orrville, Perry, Plain Township, Poland, Salem, Steubenville, Struthers, Sugarcreek, Warren, Wooster and Youngstown.
For those who prefer to make a donation rather than buying doughnuts, checks can be mailed to Rotary District 6650, 116 Cleveland Ave. NW, Canton, OH 44702.
Pictured at top: Sue Runion, IGA Struthers bakery manager, and Rich Tirpak, past district governor and Purple Pinkie Committee chair.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
