Community
19 February, 2025
Community digs deep to raise $15,000 for Himalayan youth
MORE than $15,000 has been raised for a Himalayan charity.
The Rotary Club of Cairns Sunrise and the Friends of Himalayan Children Association held a fundraising dinner last Saturday night, involving close to 200 people.
Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) project manager Rita Zappulla said the dinner exceed expectations.
“We hope to use the funds raised on the evening to help provide new classrooms, improved accommodation for teachers and students,” she said.
“The generosity of the guests in opening their hearts and wallets was shown with the sponsorship of 10 new students at the hostel in the remote village of Batase in Nepal.
“The business community generously supported the event by providing, sponsorship and prizes for the auctions and raffle.”
A trip for two to Nepal valued at $9000 was successful auctioned on the evening.
Ms Zappulla said guest speaker Paul Hockey, who became the first disabled person to climb Mount Everest from the north side in 2005, helped inspire the gathering with his words: “Never give up, never, ever give up”.
She said the inspirational speaker shared his resilience and determination in climbing twice the north face of Everest, despite losing his right arm to cancer at just three weeks of age.
Donations are accepted at https://bit.ly/3WIMg0K
To sponsor a student, contact Susan Devitt on 0439 782 563 or info@f-hc.org
