A special fund has been opened to support disabled sportspeople in the local community.

Disabled sportspeople in the Rotorua and Taupo communities will benefit from the Ross Bohm Fund managed by the Geyser Community Foundation.

Chairman of the Geyser Community Foundation Pat Brown said it was very exciting to announce that this special fund was open for funding applications for the first time.

"We are grateful to Barbara Bohm for establishing the fund to honour the memory of her late husband, Ross Bohm, who passed away in 2011."

An orthopaedic surgeon in the Rotorua and Taupo communities for almost 30 years, Ross Bohm worked at Rotorua Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and Southern Cross QE.

Barbara Bohm said Ross was a humble and passive man, who was always thinking of others.

"He loved being an orthopaedic surgeon, took great pride in his work and got a lot of pleasure from being able to help people. Ross was particularly interested in establishing a fund with the Geyser Community Foundation to support disabled sportspeople in the local community and I was very pleased to be able to do this in his memory."

Dame Susan Devoy, who worked closely with Ross Bohm for many years, said he was a well-known and respected orthopaedic surgeon who had a strong interest in disabled sportspeople.

"Ross spent 19 years as the voluntary consultant to the New Zealand Paralympic team, attending three Olympic Games as the team doctor."

Mr Brown said the Ross Bohm Fund, like most of the endowment funds managed by Geyser, was open to receive gifts or donations from individuals, families or organisations, including local businesses, who were interested in supporting disabled sportspeople in the local community for the long term.

"Gifts and donations of all sizes, both large and small, are pooled, increasing their effectiveness. The faster funds build up, the more quickly income can be made available to benefit our local community. This is another example of how powerful giving can be through the Geyser Community Foundation," he said.

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To make a donation or leave a bequest in your will to the Geyser Community Foundation Ross Bohm Fund, contact Annette Burgess, executive officer, telephone 07 349 7496 or email annette@geysercf.org.nz

Donations can be made online by credit card at www.geysercf.org.nz

The Ross Bohm Fund is one of a growing number of funds managed by the Geyser Community Foundation for the long term benefit of the Rotorua community.

One gift with a value of $2,000 is available from the fund this year.

Funding applications open on July 1 and will close on August 1 to allow time for any local sportspeople participating in the Paralympics in Rio from September 7-18 to make application and for the successful recipient to receive funds.

Further information, including application forms, can be downloaded from Geyser's website www.geysercf.org.nz