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27 June 2003
ROTARY BIKE-A-FUND
by Rotarian Andrew Charles
Last Sunday, 23 June, the newly formed Seminyak Branch of Rotary
International held its first fund-raising event.
Entitled Bike-A-Fund, it was described by Charter Club President
Dr. T Patrick van Kampen as a relaxing bicycle tour‚ in which
individual members encouraged companies to sponsor them by agreeing
to contribute a set amount of money for every kilometre completed.
For this first activity, the route chosen was the 25 km. from
Kintamani to Tampaksiring. As a concession to some of the not
so young members, this route had the distinct advantage of being
mostly down hill!
The day started early at the Sobek office in Sanur from where
everyone travelled by bus to a restaurant at Kintamani. The spectacular
views over Lake Batur and the mountains served as a distraction
while the riders consumed a small snack and mentally prepared
themselves for the ordeal ahead.
Having received a short lecture from the Sobek guides, each
person was given a free pair of cycling gloves and a bottle Aqua
so all that remained was for everyone to select a bike and head
off in the direction of Tampaksiring. Several stops were made
along the way to inspect interesting things such as the local
agriculture and to find out where coffee comes from. All the participants
now know that Mangoes and Guavas grow on trees and they would
score very highly in a quiz on the 101 uses for a piece of bamboo.
One wonders what the residents of a traditional village home
thought about the 28 people on bicycles who arrived to look around
and inspect their pigpens.
Eventually, the ride was over. The Sobek crew was waiting with
cold towels and transport for the short distance to a restaurant
where everyone enjoyed a pleasant lunch before being taken back
to the Sobek HQ to make their weary way home. Not such an ordeal
after all but very tiring.
All members of Rotary and their friends and families were eligible
to take part and members who were reluctant to take to two wheels
were encouraged to give support and financial sponsorship to the
participants. For this outing, fourteen members of the club and/or
their nominees were joined by a similar number of members of Rotaract‚
ˆ the section of Rotary for 21 - 30 year olds, and this helped
to boost the fund-raising. The minimum contribution was set at
Rp.10,000 per kilometre so anyone pledging this amount for a rider
who completed the course, was asked for the sum of Rp.250,000.
The aim was to raise a sum in excess of Rp12 million to assist
with financing the many humanitarian projects that Rotary Clubs
operate in Bali. Among these are programmes such as financing
Harelip and Cleft palate Operations, the supply of clean drinking
water in remote areas and maintaining the Women's Mobile Health
Clinic. One of the projects for which Rotary is best known in
Bali is the Blood Bank. The amount of money raised by Rotary worldwide
reached an amazing US$650,000 in a very short time and, as a result,
Bali‚s Blood Bank at Sanglah General Hospital is now the
most modern in Indonesia.
After all the sponsors of the Bike-a-Fund have paid what they
pledged to pay, the total amount raised from last Sunday‚s
activity will be approximately Rp.15 million ˆ far more than
the original target.
Finally: special thanks to Steven McMillian - Nusa Dua Rotarian,
GM of SOBEK, for offering the cycles at a very much reduced fee.
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