For your information
Thank you P.P. Lip Kee.
I would agree fully that we need to help the Japanese victims at this
time of their need. I will request Dr Ho to initiate this and to let
all clubs know how we can donate. I also think the SMS initiative of
the R.C. of Singapore and Red cross is praiseworthy.
Dr Ho please send out this to all clubs for support
DG
On Wed, Mar 23, 2011 at 12:32 AM, Lip Kee Yap <lipkee@gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear DG Dr. Abraham,
>
> I hope you do not mind me writing this draft outline suggesting a line of
> action to ask clubs to support.
>
> Background:
>
> Many clubs have already raised money for the Japanese Sister clubs, sent to
> Red Cross on their own and sent donations in various manner eg
> to Rotary International’s announced “Rotary Japan Disaster Recovery Fund”.
> Perhaps the best request to clubs is to make a recommendation with the
> knowledge that much has been done and and ask the Clubs to inform Dr. Ho and
> the Disaster Relief Committee so that we can keep a tab on the level of
> donations sent from the District to Japan.
>
> My club RC Singapore is donating to Red Cross (about $12,000 to date),
> collecting for our Sister Club, RC Wakayama East (probably $10,000) and for
> a Rotary Club in New Zealand (not specified as yet).
>
> We have also initiated the SMS Donation Drive in support of the Singapore
> Red Cross. It is currently only advertised in the Red Cross Website and
> occasionally referred to by the press. We have attributed the initiative to
> Rotary Clubs Singapore but have not really got the other clubs publicising
> it. Despite this lack of publicity the public has donated about $300,000 (at
> last count on Friday).
>
> Action:
>
> I would be grateful if you could ask all Clubs in Singapore to join the
> District in adopting a partnership with Singapore Red Cross Society as the
> most effective way to send donations to survivors of the Japan Earthquake.
>
> There are 2 ways of giving support.
>
> 1) Money can be sent directly to Singapore Red Cross Society indicating
> “Survivors of the Japan Earthquake” on the reverse, or through a central
> pool from Singapore Rotary Clubs in (or if you prefer we can ask our
> treasurer, Pres. Jayapal to be the main collector and you can hand a lump
> sum to Red Cross, letting them know this is the District’s contribution) I
> believe Malaysian Clubs are giving thru Malaysian Red Crescent
>
> 2) Support the SMS Donation drive by
>
> a) donating by SMS. Send the keyword redcross to 75772
>
>
> b) publicising the SMS Donation service thru there websites, emails
> Facebooks c) contribute a sum to the District Disaster Committee to use for
> administration and publicity of the SMS Service. Sums of between $300 to
> $1000 would be most welcome from Clubs. We can try to arrange for tax
> exemption for these sums.
>
> For your information the administration of the SMS Service will cost about
> $5000 per year, costs of fund collection is about $6000 for every million
> dollars collected. Advertisement costs to publicise the sevice varies but
> can cost $1000 per advertisement though most advertisements are paid by well
> wishers.
>
> There have been detractors saying that International Red Cross skims money
> off donations, as much as 30%. I have taken pains to check with our Rotarian
> and Vice Chairman of Singapore Red Cross, Jeffrey Chan and he say that the
> ruling in International Red Cross is to fix the top limit of administration
> costs at 9%. I hope that clears doubts of Rotarians wanting 100% of funds
> collected to go to those in need.
> I will be available for any information you may need till wednesday evening
> when I catch a plane to Chennai for my conference. I will be back on monday
> 28th. March.
> Yours in the service of Rotary,
> Lip Kee
>
> —
> Dr. L.K. Yap
> Consultant Gynecologist
> #09-07, Mount Elizabeth Medical Center
> 3, Mount Elizabeth
> Singapore 228510
> Phone (65) 6734 3328
> www.gynae.com.sg