From our Rotary Club perspective we had a magnificent win in our effort in the fight against polio. In the initial appearance of the “Purple Pinkie Project” we raised $859 in donations from students, faculty, administration, fans and athletes. But that dollar amount was only the seed in the donating.
After the game a local San Saba teacher said “It was really great watching the kiddos rush up to drop their dollar in the pot and get their pinkie painted. I will match Friday night’s collection.” As a result of this teacher’s matching gift, the amount raised went to $1718. That is until the money is sent to the Rotary Foundation’s Polio Plus fund where it will be matched two for one by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundations. Now the money those kids gave has been multiplied by a power of six making the total that will used to fight polio $5154.
But this wasn’t the only hero of the night. While I was working the booth at the game a young lady, a student at Goldthwaite High School I presume from her attire, came up to the booth. I am not sure she even understood what polio is, but she recognized the need to help prevent a disease that has ravaged the world and still cripples and kills people. She dropped her contribution into the jar and got her pinkie painted purple, a huge risk for a Goldthwaite Eagle fan! This young lady showed moxie recognizing that the purple pinkie was about way more than the battle on the field. Later in the evening she even coaxed a friend to come back over to the tent to make a donation and have her pinkie painted purple. She wasn’t the only Eagle fan to help take a stand against polio but she definitely stood out in my mind. She unselfishly displayed “Service Above Self”, the Rotary International motto. You, young lady, would make an excellent Rotarian.