PROJECT HOPE: Groundswell of care continues to boost fund

People never fail to amaze me with their ingenuity.
Every week someone presents me with a cheque representing money they have raised through their own initiative.
These amazing individuals recognise the essential need for this cancer centre and are not content to sit back and watch others make all the effort. They feel a real need to contribute and have a sense of ownership for the project. It is usually the ones least able to afford to make a financial contribution who sincerely want to be able to so they find a way to do it.
Proof of this is the incredible response we received when the Bay of Plenty Times gave us a front page story about the section donated by the Thorne Group. I spent the next two days fielding phone calls from tradespeople saying, "I really want to give to Project Hope but am not in a financial position to do so. Now I have the opportunity to contribute my time, skill or materials towards building a house". It also brought Team Local on board after their members unanimously supported the project.
The most recent example is Linda and Clyde Andrews of Clyde Andrews Plumbing. Linda said they were discussing the Bayfair Guinness World Record haircutting bid after hearing it on MoreFM and she suggested that it would be a good idea for Clyde to contribute his locks. Poor Clyde, who had just grown a full head of curly luxurious locks, was very attached to it and required a bit of persuasion.
However, they both looked at what Len and Vonnie Gilbert had done in giving up their privacy to support this campaign and said "It is the least we can do."
They decided they had a better chance of raising more money if they involved their own circle of friends and business associates. Linda started phoning Clyde's suppliers and all his workmates. The original proposal was that if they gave $100 she would cook a meal for them. People were quick to agree to it. Clyde said there was no hesitation - "there's quite a groundswell you've created out there" - and everyone wanted to participate.
At the conclusion of a really fun evening around the barbecue, they ended up with over $2300. One of the highlights was the transformation of Clyde's locks before he lost them. He experienced French plaiting; ponytails and a variety of innovative hairstyles which probably eased his transition - from bad hair days to tangle free no-maintenance.
This week's accolades go to: Brenda Knight and her friends at Omokoroa, who organised a fruit-picking event and co-ordinated a group of people who needed to do community hours in lieu of fines - they raised $881.50; the team at Ray White Greerton who held a barbecue during the Greerton Christmas Parade and raised $226.00; a further $150 from Marine Screens & Glass from glazing jobs; Mr & Mrs Richardson of Omokoroa who sent in a cheque for $500; Tauranga Women's Bowling Club who sadly have disbanded their club and after finalising their accounts were able to contribute a whopping $7200 to purchase a major piece of equipment for the Cancer Centre.
Slowly but surely, little by little, we are clawing our way there. We have large commitments (such as the house) in the pipeline and just need a further $400,000 (approximately) from our wonderful community for this to be all over. Perhaps it just requires a little nudging from those who are already supporters to remind their peers, who have not yet contributed, that none of us are immune to cancer. At some time in our lives, when this centre is a reality, we will all visit it.
FUNDRAISERS:
Threads of Hope book: $12 and Song of Hope CD $9.95 - great gift ideas - available from BHF office ph: 571 1631.
Crown & Badger: Donate 5 per cent of Wednesday takings. They are now over $6650.
Donations can be made at any ANZ Bank.
* Lynette Davies is the chief executive of the Bay Health Foundation.