In Reply to: Congratulations are due posted by Burti on Thursday, 22. July 2004 at 16:27 Bali Time:
Thankyou, Burti for your kind words.
Yes, it was a most fantastic and very successful night. It would not have been possible without the help and support of many. For me it was about two months of telephone calls,organizing guest speakers, food,tickets, raffles,door prizes, lighting, videos, tables etc but in the end it worth worth every minute of hard work.
I have received at least 30 phone calls, about the same number of emails and very generous cards from people saying how they not only enjoyed the night but were also enlightened and educated about the Rotary Cleft Palate and Hare Lip Programme which is run by the Nusa Dua Rotary Club.
This function would not have been possible without the help and support of Noel Allen. Noel not only told a large and captivated audience about the Cleft Palate Programme but also of the amazing and often unrecognised work that Rotary does worldwide. Two children are born every day in Bali with a cleft palate. Without Rotarys' involment, most of these children would never be able to have this deformity corrected. Often this is a life saving operation. Most Balinese families could never think of having the money to pay for such an operation.With the involment of Rotary the operations cost approx $280. Money extremley well spent I say!
Jason McCartney, former AFL footballer and Bali bomb victim was a most fabulous nd inspirational guest speaker. How thrilled I was when he agreed to be part of the evening, in fact I couldn't really believe it when he rang me and said after reading my email he couldn't refuse. I think every single person in the room that night thought just what a wonderful Australian story he had to tell. It is a story of amazing courage, determination and will to live. And it also shows us that with grit and determination almost anything is possible.
Dr's Vij and Priya, the young doctors from here in Perth, who just happened to be in Bali at the time of the bombing, were simply wonderful. If any of you have read my friend Kim Patra's book, (In the Arms of the Angels), about her experiences at Sanglah Hospital after the Bomb you will remember Kim talking very fondly of the hard work and dedication of these two fabulous young doctors.They held a mesmirized audience while they told us in lurid detail of their experiences, of their highs and lows, of people they met..and those who sadly passed on. Listening to them speak, so candidly, was for me the highlight of the night.The future of our medical, health and hospital services are certainly is in very good hands.
I am very pleased to say that after all my costs I will be able to hand Noel a cheque for nearly $16,000. The Maddington Rotary Club will apply for a 'matching grant' which means that in fact this figure will be doubled. So, the Rotary Nusa Dua Cleft Palate and Hare Lip Programme will have funds that will hopefully last them for years.
I am most happy knowing about because of of many peoples efforts and generous donations that many, many children in Bali are now guaranteed a much brighter and healthier future.
My most sincere and grateful thanks to all those involved.
If you would like any more info regarding the programme please email me on the above email adress.
Tracey