As part of their continued efforts to eradicate polio worldwide, Dunkin’ and area Rotary districts Friday announced they are partnering to host the annual Purple Pinkie Day fundraiser on Wednesday to benefit Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign. Guests who donate $2.50 to End Polio Now at participating Tennessee Dunkin’ restaurants will receive a Purple Pinkie Donut as a “thank you,” while supplies last. For each $2.50 guest donation, area Rotary districts will donate $3.75, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will match with $12.50, for a total donation of $18.75.
The Purple Pinkie Day fundraiser will be hosted at 162 participating Dunkin’ restaurants throughout Chattanooga, Jackson, Knoxville, Memphis, Nashville, and Tri-Cities.
The Purple Pinkie donut is a glazed donut stick with a dab of purple frosting, which symbolizes the purple painted pinkie of a child that has been vaccinated during a National Immunization Day in countries where polio is still a threat.
With the support of local Rotary districts and matching funds from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dunkin’ of Tennessee has helped contribute more than $2 million to Rotary’s End Polio Now campaign over the past three years – enough to vaccinate 660,000 children against polio for life. With the expansion to this year’s program, Dunkin’ hopes to raise more money than ever before to eradicate polio worldwide.
More than one million Rotary members have donated their time and personal resources to end polio. Every year, hundreds of Rotary members work side-by-side with health workers to vaccinate children in polio-affected countries. To learn more about how the Rotary Club has helped in the fight to End Polio Now, head to www.rotary.org/en/our-causes/ending-polio.