Teams bring in $40,000 at Rotary AIDS walk

May 6, 2007

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Organizers of last weekend's Rotary Club of Belleville Trump AIDS Poker Walk are elated after the event left them with a pot worth $40,000.

Walk chairman and CKWS Television account executive Mark Bishop said the club didn't quite reach its 30-team target, but the money raised was far higher than expected.

Participating teams walking along the Belleville Riverside Trail

"When we first started talking about it last summer, we figured if we could make $15,000 or $20,000 in the first year, we'd be happy," he said.

"But when we went to the street, we found that because it's in support of Rotary and in support of our AIDS initiatives - which are helping children here and abroad who are incidental victims of  the disease - we got a lot of support in the way of pledge dollars and corporate sponsorships.

"The concept called for eight-member teams to walk a five-kilometre route, picking up cards while in transit. Each participant had to raise $200 in pledges to enter, and more cards could be bought for $100 each during the wrap-up dinner.

The fundraiser was conceived by Rotarians Michael Maloney, John Smale, Ken Dickson and Bishop, who said the group was moved by the desperate suffering of children with AIDS. They knew they wanted to raise money to help, he said, but they found themselves trying to put a new spin on traditional fundraising ideas.

"We were looking for something different, to introduce more fun into it," he said, adding the goal was to give people chances to "play and win some decent prizes."

Mark Rollins was the top fundraiser, collecting more than $2,300 in prizes.

Shirley Glidden claimed the top prize; her name was drawn as the winner of a trip for two to Las Vegas.

"We got playing with words, and 'Trump AIDS' came up, even though there's no 'trump' in poker.  The idea is that the power of Rotary internationally could play a winning hand against the AIDS pandemic"

In total, Bishop said, about 120 people attended the walk and dinner, and pledges were received from about 140 participants. About 13 volunteers ran the event.

He called the results "fantastic."

More than a dozen corporate sponsors "really came through," Bishop said, noting the lead sponsor, the Quinte Area Pharmacists Assoc., and GoodLife Canada were especially helpful; a silent auction helped raise the final total.  However, the majority of funds raised came from individuals that were motivated to raise pledges and put teams together and join in the cause.

Bishop said the walk will become an annual event and may be taken up by other Rotarians.

"Rotary Clubs in other areas are allready taking interest in this."

- News story by Luke Hendry courtesy The Intelligencer
Tuesday, May 01, 2007