VBHS Interact Club raises money to eliminate polio

The new Van Buren High School Interact Club's first Purple Pinkie Project raised over $300 by the end of lunch time today, March 8, 2010, with several hours remaining in the one-day special event. When children have polio immunizations overseas, one of their little fingers is dipped in purple ink to make sure they don't accidentally take a second dose of the vaccine before the permanent ink wears off. The high school students and adults donating a dollar today had their little finger painted to show they too were also fighting polio. The funds raised by the students will protect children in countries were polio is still a real threat today and help wipe out polio in their lifetime.

According to Shirley Williams, President of the Van Buren Rotary Club, the students did almost all of the planning, finding support materials and ideas on the Rotary International website, and quickly preparing a PowerPoint presentation to explain the plan to club members. Shirley added, "I was overwhelmed with their obvious enthusiasm for their newly formed club."

One of the Interact Club sponsors, Missy Hefner had a personal reason to join the fight against polio. Her father had polio as a child. Click on the purple underlined link to jump to Channel 5's news reporter, Jared Broyles, special video report on the Purple Pinkie Project and hear Missy's story in her own words.

Ten Rotarians volunteered to help during various parts of the day, but the Rotarians met the students and mostly observed as the Interact students and sponsors had things well organized and running smoothly. The VBHS Interact students are an impressive group of young people and look to be off to a grand start.