Rotary Timaru Stuns With $55,000 Donation To Aquatic Centre

Caroline Bay Aquatic Supporters Club chairman Damon Odey went to a Rotary meeting last week to receive a cheque for $15,000, the proceeds of the Rotary Club of Timaru’s Charity Auction held recently.

He left with $55,000.

In what he described as “the best day’s work of my life”, Mr Odey was presented with the auction cheque of $15,000 which represented half of the entire proceeds of the September 3 event, and as he turned to leave the stage, Rotary Timaru president Gilly Oppenheim called him back to present a pledge for $40,000 from the Rotary administered R J and C F Moyes Trust.

A stunned Mr Odey said the gesture was “unbelievable”.

“Once again, the generous spirit of Rotary reinforces the broad support the Caroline Bay Aquatic Centre is receiving from the community.”

The combined donation from Rotary Timaru brings the total so far raised by the community to $95,000, almost 25 per cent of the target. This total also includes public donations and school mufti days.

Mr Odey said Rotary initiatives, which will include a youth concert in the Theatre Royal on October 30, reflected the wider community’s desire to see the pool up and running and provide a much-needed community facility.

“We are on the verge of bringing a wonderful asset to this district. The task is being made so much easier by the huge groundswell of support we are receiving from organisations, individuals in the community and schoolchildren. Just last week I received a cheque from the Waimataitai School for $753, the proceeds of a mufti day and a sausage sizzle.

“It makes me feel proud to be living in this region.”

Rotary Timaru president Gilly Oppenheim said the $40,000 pledge came from the Moyes Trust which was administered by the club.

“Dave Moyes was a member of the club and died 15 years ago. He left a substantial amount of money to our club and each year the current president, the past president and the vice president decide how the trust proceeds are to be distributed.

“This year a large amount was available but rather than spread donations to the aquatic centre over a few years, we decided to donate the full $40,000 in one hit,” Mrs Oppenheim said.

The club also has a clear idea on how it should be used in the centre.

“We have asked that the money be used to provide a piece of pool equipment such as a wheel chair pool-entry system or hydralift with the Rotary emblem on it.

“The pool is for everyone, young and old and we in the club are getting on now and many of us are still keen swimmers so we know how useful our donation will be to the entire community,” she said.

ENDS

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