This week, the Dunedin service organisation for business and professional people handed over $28,600 to hospice funding and marketing co-ordinator Lyn Chapman. The handover was witnessed by Lindsay McIntyre, governor of Rotary District 9980 which covers from Temuka south.
‘‘It is very nice to be here to see the culmination of this project, which reflects similar work by other clubs in the district,'' Mr McIntyre said.
Mrs Chapman was ‘‘absolutely thrilled'' to receive the funds on behalf of the hospice.
‘‘This was a great effort by the Rotarians, and it was wonderful that the raffle had so much public support,'' she said.
In three weeks before Christmas, Rotary Club of Dunedin North members and hospice volunteers sold 21,000 raffle tickets, each with a chance to win a trailer full of goods along with the trailer itself.
In its 15th year of running the raffle, the club was delighted with the response from the public, which made it a record year for the ongoing project.
Including this week's donation, the Rotary Club of Dunedin North had raised and donated a total of $286,512 to the hospice since the project began, Mrs Chapman said.
‘‘We are delighted to have the club's ongoing support.''
Trailer raffle organiser and incoming Rotary Club of Dunedin North president Sandy Black said the raffle had become a popular part of Dunedin's pre-Christmas build-up, which made selling the tickets relatively easy.
‘‘And last year's publicity around the hospice's financial situation meant people were even more keen to support it [the raffle]. We look forward to next year, when we hope to be able to raise even more money for the hospice.''