Page 11 - Rotary DIM December 2017
P. 11
However, this caused great interest for those .....and raising money
passing by. Rotary raised its profile in the area
through this exercise. Bideford Bridge
For 2017 the Rotary Club of Bideford Bridge
used the tried and tested method of inviting the
public to buy silk purple crocuses – not that they
‘buy’ them, they get them free, in return for a
donation to ‘End Polio Now’. The public in this
case were the many and varied customers who
shopped at Morrison’s, Bideford, on Thursday 26
October – a couple of days after World Polio Day,
but Thursday is a busy day at the store.
Ashburton & Buckfastleigh Pete Morris and Phil Sargent
at Morrison’s in Bideford.
Storm Brian tried hard with its howling cold, high
winds and blinding, lashing, heavy rain The plan paid off: this year, Morrison’s customers
downpours to disrupt the country. But the donated more than £405 although that included
Rotarians of the Rotary Club of Ashburton & £11 in old coins. With the enhancement by the
Buckfastleigh stood firm and resolute to Gates foundation the donations were worth more
complete their service project. than £1,200 – enough to immunise 6,000 children
against the disease
Over a two week period they celebrated World
Polio Day by planting 10,000 Purple4Polio crocus
corms across the two communities. They had no
idea just how heavy and how small 10,000 crocus
corms could be. Undaunted they counted out
1000 and weighed them, then continued until
they were all bagged and planting could
commence.
