£51,093 Cheque Presented As Outcome Of Appeal For Aged

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27751, 31 August 1955, Page 8

£51,093 Cheque Presented As Outcome Of Appeal For Aged

A cheque for £51,093 .Is 7d was handed to the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr R. M. Macfarland, M.P.) by the S resident of the Christchurch Rotary lub (Mr F. C. Penfold), for the work of the Christchurch Aged Peoples’ Welfare Council, at the Rotary Club’s luncheon yesterday. Mr Penfold also presented Mr Macfarlane with another cheque for £615 from the Canterbury federation of Countrywomen’s Institutes. "This is one of the occasions in the history of Christchurch on which we can justly pride ourselves,” said Mr Macfarlane, who is chairman of the welfare council. “We have known for some time the dire necessity of some of our old people, and once again Rotarians placed service before self and launched an appeal for this work.”

With this large sum of money in hand, tenders could now be called and the home for the aged at Shirley could be started, he said. This would be the first home to be built by an aged peoples’ welfare council. The result of the appeal showed the high standard of organisation in the Rotary Club and the great public confidence in its work. "This is, indeed, a public tribute to Rotary and its high status in the community,” he said. The appeal money had been raised mainlv by direct giving from individuals or organisations, and a small proportion by public entertainment or raffles, he said. "The appeal is a direct response from people who had to put their hands in their pockets and give.” To Rotarians, he said: “Yours is a great achievement, and you have a great reputation. I feel sure your organisation will carry on in the spirit in which it was founded.” "When we set out in pursuit of this sum, we knew we had no chance

unless we were supported by the goodwill of the community,” said Mr Penfold, who is chairman of the appeal committee. “The community has shown its goodwill, and the Rotary Club in Christchurch is sincerely grateful.” “This is the golden jybilee year of Rotary, and every club throughout the world was expected to make an effort on behalf of some community project. Our club decided to embrace this work for the aged and frail,” he said.

The appeal was launched in February of this year, and Rotarians were very happy about the project, he said. Mr Penfold thanked everyone who had been associated with the appeal, which had passed the target of £50,000. Mr L. K. Laugesen, who was chairman of the appeal committee while Mr Penfold was overseas for a period this year, said that the appeal had become a mighty community effort. When the appeal was completely closed, the total expected was about £52,000. The cost of the appeal was less than 2 per cent, of the amount raised. With the addition of a quota from the Royal cinema performance and the Government subsidy, £220,000 would be available to the Christchurch Aged Peoples’ Welfare CounciL “Through Rotary, we feel that we have been given the opportunity to do something really worth while for the city,” he said. The cheque presented by Rotary to the council spoke of the generosity and sacrifice of the whole community, said the chairman of the executive of the council (Dr. H. R. Donald). “This money could not have come at a more opportune time; it is desperately needed, and With it the council hopes to provide between 150 to 170 units of accommodation for old folk.”