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The Rotary Club of Tamworth West, N.S.W., successfully ran a Rotary Centenary Cup Race Day as part of a group of events arranged by the combined Rotary clubs of Tamworth to celebrate Rotary’s Centenary year. The fundraisers collectively aim to raise $A100,000 during the year toward the cost of a respite facility, Allawah, proposed to be built by Challenge Disability Services in Tamworth. Key to the success of the race meeting was working closely with Tamworth Jockey Club for a mutual benefit, with Rotary having a venue and occasion to raise funds and the race club receiving reimbursement of costs and benefits from increased patronage. The Rotary club took an insurance cover so that in the event of the function being cancelled for any reason, costs and anticipated profit would be covered. The Rotary Club of Tamworth West obtained sponsorship for each race. This established an income base, and in return sponsors were given attractive benefits. These included being able to invite a number of guests who were treated to lunch and refreshments, promotion and business exposure and tax deductions for contributions. A virtual essential toward the success of the day was that individual VIP tickets were sold for $40 each. This gave clients lunch and refreshments in a marquee. Lunch was prepared and served by Rotarians and wives. This added about $2,800 to funds raised and also boosted the crowd. A novelty was the presenting of a prize for the best-dressed woman at the course on the day by a member of the Rotary Club of Tamworth West, much to the envy of other members. Additional revenue was obtained from running a raffle in which 20 prizes were donated. Some financial donations were also received. Rotarian Simon Barhoush and his wife Mary have the catering rights at the racecourse and donated their profits from the day in return for assistance by some Rotarians and their wives. The final profit from the Race Day was $8,500 . . . together with a lot of fun and fellowship by all involved. |
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| Helping students in PNG More than 300,000 students in Papua New Guinea do not have desks to sit at in school. For some, the classroom is the shade of a tree in the school yard. Just a blackboard set up against the tree trunk and nothing to sit on. The Rotary Club of Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea is serving to do better for young Papua New Guineans through the National School Desks Project. Desks can be built for $US30 a student. The club is seeking financial support from other Rotary clubs. Where feasible, it will try to increase such club donations via Matching Grants from The Rotary Foundation and its own sources. Local industry is used to make the desks. Quality control for construction is provided by Rotary clubs. The project has enabled 7,000 students to sit at desks. Of the desks distributed, 1,200 desks have been funded via Matching Grants from a variety of sources. Rotary clubs from Australia, England, Japan and Papua New Guinea have all generously donated funds, which have then been doubled by contributions from The Rotary Foundation and the Port Moresby club’s fund raising. More than 1,200 desks have been sourced to date through the Donations in Kind (DIK) program from District 9600 and Rotary clubs in Townsville, Qld., and Bundaberg, Qld. Interactors in Port Moresby also have assisted. One headmaster said: ‘‘If my school had not received the Rotary desks, my final year students would have had to do their written exams on the floor.’’ Wherever possible, with each lot of 10 desks, cartons of DIK schoolbooks, donated by Australian Rotary clubs, are supplied as well. Further information: Past President Dick McCarthy on rbmcc@datec.com.pg
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