MORAY LANDMARKS ARE set to be bathed in light in an effort to lend support to those communities who are battling to become free of polio.
Elgin Rotary Club are behind the local bid as part of their own 90th anniversary year and the world-wide efforts of Rotarians to support World Polio Day tomorrow, October 24.
For the Elgin club the finale of their own celebrations will come at their annual Bonfire and Fireworks Display. However, this week local Rotarians are among millions across the globe highlighting World Polio Day to raise awareness, funds and support to end polio – a vaccine preventable disease that still threatens children in parts of the world today.
A spokesman said: “We have never been closer to making history and fulfilling Rotary’s goal of a polio-free world with just 11 cases of wild poliovirus worldwide so far this year in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“To mark this, Rotarians across Britain and Ireland are lighting up iconic buildings purple and holding other events for World Polio Day, as part of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland’s Purple4Polio campaign.
“Purple is the colour of the dye placed on the little finger on the left hand of a child to show they have been immunised against polio, hence the name Purple4Polio. With millions of children to vaccinate, this makes it easier to see who has been protected and who has not.
“Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland is also joining forces with the Royal Horticultural Society to plant about five million purple crocus corms across Britain and Ireland, adding to seven million planted last year, as part of our Purple4Polio campaign to raise awareness and funds for End Polio Now.”
A range of activities is being planned by the Elgin club to raise awareness of End Polio – than these include the lighting of a number of prominent sites across Elgin and Lossiemouth.
In Elgin, Anderson’s Care Home, The Old Station and with support from Moray Council, the statues on the Castle to Cathedral to Cashmere trail and the Landshut Bridge will be illuminated. Thanks to the Covesea Lighthouse Trustees, the Lossiemouth Lighthouse will also be involved.
The Club are also encouraging members of the public to take selfies at the locations and share them on social media with the hashtag #Purple4Polio
Events in Moray to highlight World Polio Day
New Elgin Primary School – RotaKids are supporting these activities by holding school assemblies to raise awareness of Polio and the eradication efforts. They are also designing a costume for a superhero who would champion the efforts to eradicate Polio and will have a purple dress down day on October 27, to raise funds towards the cause. They are also investigating a prominent site in Elgin to plant crocus corms. RotaKids at Knockando will also be dressing in purple to raise awareness.
Moray Rotaract are also supporting the efforts by publicising the progress made to date and contributing financially to the project. The lights will remain purple through until November 4, when the Fireworks display at the Cooper Park will culminate in a Purple burst to celebrate the work done and the 90th anniversary of the Elgin Rotary Club.
The efforts will continue after this time and the Knockando RotaKids are planning to raise funds by potting up and selling crocuses at their Christmas Fayre.
In Spring 2018 we will see purple crocuses flower across the town – and the Club will hold its Swimarathon event on the February 24 in Elgin and Lossiemouth to raise funds for End Polio.