Riding On Report Autumn 2018
The following donations have been gratefully received since the last published recognitions in the summer 2017 edition of Riding On. In no particular order these most generous contributions are as follows – Mallee Branch $300.00, Northern Gateway Branch $1,352.00, Dubbo and Districts Branch (Wellington members) $5,000.00, Sale and Districts Branch $1,000.00, Tamar Tourers Branch $13.00, Tamar Tourers Branch $500.00, Hobart Branch $600.00, Gippsland Central Branch $200.00, Warnbro Sound Wanderers Branch $350.00, St George/Sutherland Branch $500.00, Woy Woy Peninsular Branch $300.00, Eastern Creek Branch $1,000.00, Lockyer Branch $6,170.00, Northern Beaches Branch $1,000.00, Macleay Valley Branch $224.93, Northern Gateway Branch $182.85, Westgate Wanderers Branch $200.00, Lake Macquarie Branch $1,000.00, Yarra Ranges Branch $4,000.00.
Currently the 2017 donations to UCARF are being reviewed to determine the branch winners of the prestigious Jo Dearnley Memorial Award and the Good Joint Award. Shields will then be engraved and trophies produced in preparation for the presentation at the upcoming AGM in Riverland, South Australia. Contributions to UCARF are sometimes a simple donation from branch funds. Other times the donations are achieved by a variety of interesting alternative methods and I encourage donors to inform us of these activities so that we can all share. I never cease to be impressed by the unselfish generosity of those who support this great cause of our club. Fleurieu Branch in South Australia raises their donations to UCARF by conducting an annual Poker Run. The most recent run started at the Alma Hotel in Willunga where 41 riders registered and received their first playing card. The journey travelled through the wine growing area of McClaren Vale through to Meadows where the participants received their second card. The journey then proceeded to Macclesfield for another stop and another card. Strathalbyn was the next destination to receive the fourth playing card and to partake of sustenance from an excellent bakery. The riders then headed back to Meadows along Range road down to the Willunga Hill which has been made famous by the Tour Down Under cycling event held in South Australia each year. The final destination was Aldinga Surf Life Saving Club where participants received their fifth card to form a poker hand. The hands were declared and the winner announced over lunch overlooking the beautiful Gulf St Vincent.
One of the plugs I often strongly push in our UCARF activities is that 100% of our raised funds are directed to rheumatoid arthritis research. A number of years ago we got rid of third (intermediate) parties handling our UCARF funds. We can guarantee that every cent of donations are directed to scientific research without any loss due to administration or any other associated consuming costs. We achieve this outcome because we are a non-profit organisation and all work is voluntary. We also achieve this outcome because we have control of our own funds, which are deposited and accumulated into a specific UCARF account. When a sponsorship expires and/or sufficient funds are available we deal directly with the research institutions to negotiate further sponsorship of individual RA researchers.
What has motivated me to raise this issue once again is the recent news item regarding brain cancer research. Noted neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo has quit the charity foundation he set up in 2003, due to his discovery that 65% of donations are spent on administration. Furious that the admin expenses were so high and learning that there was no interest in reducing these costs, Dr Teo then set up a new rival foundation that is guaranteeing low costs of 10-15%. I have previously reported that admin costs are sometimes much higher in charitable organisations, which Dr Teo confirmed and quoted an example of 95%. Our UCARF track record of 0% is looking good and something we can all be proud of
Kim Kennerson
UCARF Coordinator,
#6929 L.M. 14.