Rotarians Reach Out To Australian Bushfire Victims

District 9810, Melbourne, Australia-Rotary Newsletter

This is from President Tom Blair of the Lomita-Torrance Airport Rotary club, California to Andrew Burgan, President of the Rotary Club of Knox. Such generosity of spirit needs no comment to embellish it.

Dear Andrew,

The Lomita-Torrance Airport Rotary club has voted to donate $5000 to your special bushfire fund. Suzanne and I have prepared a presentation and shall be going to other clubs in the area to solicit more funds. Hopefully we can raise at least another $5000 to match what our foundation is already sending (so at the current exchange rate we hope our giving comes close to $15,000 AUD). Our business shall also donate $1000 and already several of our friends, members, and business associates have pledged to donate funds. All these funds shall go to our own foundation which then provides a tax deduction for those who donate. As soon as we can figure out how to either wire or transfer the funds to your District, I shall notify you.

We know that nothing can ever take away the pain or losses incurred by the victims of this horrible disaster, but simply know that all of us here in America pledge our support. Everyone in my club agreed, 100%, to this support and recognizes that Australians have been our country's greatest allies and mates throughout history. My father was in Darwin with your troops when the bombs fell, and I'm fortunate enough to have fallen in love with your country and then with Suzanne.

I do not know if I told you but we had a wonderful lunch and drop of wine at Roundstone Winery on January 7 to celebrate Suz's birthday. We sat at this amazing stone table undera glorious pergola, tasted some great food (perhaps the best risotto I've ever had) along with a Shiraz Viognier. We looked upon the beautiful hills and enjoyed seeing a family of Roos jumping down a paddock. When leaving I hesitated to buy a case of wine thinking that I could simply return for a bottle on our next visit home. As many of you may know, Roundstone is gone along with the entire vineyard. Just this one example is a profound lesson on how fragile life can be, the Derwins have lost everything.

In other words I do not know if we could ever do enough. But, thankfully as Rotarians it is what we do every day for people we shall never know. Our job, our mission, is to improve the life of people locally and globally no matter where they live, what their race or religion is, and without condition.

I'm very proud of my Rotary club, and all of the efforts the Knox club, your District, and all the clubs in Australia do each day. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.

-Tom Blair