NEW PORT RICHEY, FL (Mar. 4, 2013) - Purple Pinkie Day is a campaign through which Rotary International, by way of its Districts and clubs worldwide, raise money to “End Polio Now.” It is one of the world’s biggest ever immunization programs.

Polio has no cure. It is a crippling and potentially fatal disease and children under the age of five are at greatest risk, especially in the developing world, however polio is easy to prevent by a vaccination that costs just pennies. When a child is vaccinated in a foreign country, their little finger is painted purple, which identifies them as having received the vaccine.

Building upon this symbolism, several Rotary Clubs in District 6950, including the New Port Richey Rotary Club, set up displays at various sites to help build awareness about the program and how important it is to immunize children throughout the world from the devastating effects of polio.

The New Port Richey club spent several hours in front of the Publix in Southgate Shopping Center on Saturday, Feb. 23 painting the pinkies purple for anyone who stopped by their display. Along with an opportunity to make a contribution to the cause was a variety of information about the disease and what Rotary has been doing to eradicate it for the last 25 years.

The New Port Richey Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at noon at the Spartan Manor in New Port Richey. Rotary International is an organization of business and professional persons united world-wide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

Photo 1800: Members of the New Port Richey Rotary Club prepare “End Polio Now” information at their display at the Southgate Publix I New Port Richey on Saturday, Feb. 23, which is also known Purple Pinkie Day. This daylong event was organized to help build awareness of Rotary International’s worldwide polio eradication program.
(from left to right) Members from the New Port Richey Rotary Club, Tia Magnus, Nanci Larson, William Bunting, Rotary Club president, Craig McCart and Craig Edwards.

Photo 1814: New Port Richey Rotarian Nanci Larson (left), uses a purple