The Rotary Club of Tauranga was delighted
to donate $12,000 to Waipuna Hospice. This amount was fundraised during a
six-day book sale between September 19-24, thanks to Titles of Aongatete
Bookstore who generously donated the books, and Tauranga Rotary Club members
who also volunteered their time and resources to ensure that the book sale was
managed seamlessly.
Barbara Thomson with Past President Mark Dean |
Volunteers who staffed the book sale were
pleased with the interest and generous financial support by many members of the
Tauranga community, particularly when shoppers noticed that the funds were
being raised to support their local hospice.
Waipuna Hospice
Chief Executive Officer Dr Richard Thurlow was grateful for the support
generated at the book sale. He commented, “Waipuna Hospice are thrilled to be
the recipient of the significant funds raised by Tauranga Rotary Club. These
funds will go towards resourcing front-line services to have a direct impact on
our local Western Bay of Plenty community, both patients and families, and
assist Waipuna Hospice in its significant annual fundraising challenge of $2.3
million. Staff and Board members are very appreciative of the effort and time
that Tauranga Rotary Club donated to make this event a success.”
The efforts of the volunteer army were also
noteworthy. When reflecting on the success of the book sale, Tauranga Rotary
Club President Ann Pritchard added, "We felt the book sale for the hospice
went well, and almost all club members helped at some point. We would also like
to thank those Friends of Rotary who assisted us, and we acknowledge the
volunteers from the hospice who came along too."
- By Giselle Wansa, Rotary Club of Tauranga