Overnight, we received the exciting news from our END POLIO NOW team in Evanston, USA, that we have scrambled over the line to reach our US$50 million fund raising goal for the Rotary year just ended!
Counting will not be finalised for several days yet but senior leaders were very keen to share this news with the entire team which has worked so hard during one of the most demanding years in Rotary history.
Every single Rotary outpost was stretched to the limit as we all reached for that elusive goal – which ensures that our $50 million total grows to $150 million under the terms of our agreement with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Even in our own Zone 8 there were loose ends to tidy up …
- DG Harry Bolton and his TRF team at District 9640 chimed in with a cool $22,500 to just beat the June 30 accounting deadline.
- DG Jane Owens at 9500 advised that their $5,000 was in fact $10,000!
- A late delivery of 9,933 went directly to RI on June 29 from DG Graeme Hooper and his team at 9670.
Of course there were several other magnificent DDF donations made during June which have been previously acknowledged – and I apologise most profusely if I have missed anyone. These had tremendous value with the six times multiplier that came into effect during the last few months.
Rotarians around the world have been magnificent in their generosity – especially with the DDF match from the World Fund which attracted TWO major gifts of US$500k in the closing days – from India and USA respectively.
Again, thank you all for your service and unstinting support during the year.
Best wishes,
Bob
PDG Bob Aitken AM JP
RI END POLIO NOW Coordinator, Zone 8, 2018/21
BOB AITKEN MEDIA
Phone 0417 722 190