Swannies National President, Phil Johns and JASPAS' BJ at the HCMC fundraiser
*Update 9 Feb 2011. Swannies National Treasurer Danny Armstrong has just confirmed that an additional AUD1,100 has been donated to the Appeal lifting our total contribution from AUD35,106.06 to AUD36,116.06.
Vietnam Swans National President, Phil Johns, sends out an email on behalf of Co-organisers of the recent Queensland Floods Fundraisers, JASPAS, Auscham, Commonwealth Bank, VINO, Ulysses Club and the Vietnam Swans.
Dear Contributors to the recent Queensland Flood Appeal
We can now confirm that the final amount raised in HCMC, Hanoi and Vung Tau for the Queensland Flood Appeal was AUD35,016.06. Danny Armstrong, General Director of the Commonwealth Bank and National Treasurer of the Vietnam Swans has just confirmed remittance of AUD20,016.16 to the fund. The balance of $15,000 has been independently remitted according to Boomerang Bar & Restaurant ($10,000) and Meinhardt Engineering ($5,000).
This is an outstanding confirmed amount (adjustments were required to the provisional totals; eg in HCMC on the fundraising night, an extra zero was mistakenly placed on a $500 pledge to incorrectly read as $5,000. Additionally, the different currencies needed to be converted into Australian Dollars).
Special thanks to Danny Armstrong, the Commonwealth Bank, Auscham and the State Bank of Vietnam. Not only was cash collected in Vietnamese Dong, US Dollars and Australian Dollars from a variety of locations, it also had to be converted into AUD and then transferred to Australia. This required a special approval from the State Bank of Vietnam. The Commonwealth Bank transferred the money free of charges and at zero exchange rate margin.
The final amount raised was much more than any of us had expected. However, in terms of property, it was only enough to replace one car. Against the scale of the disaster, we always knew our financial clout would be hopelessly inadequate. But our response was also a response to the personal tragedy. We were offering a gesture of support and solidarity to our fellow Queenslanders at a critical time. And that’s why it was so important that our gesture of support came from a well represented cross section of the community in Vietnam. Co-organisers JASPAS, AUSCHAM (Australian Chamber of Commerce), Commonwealth Bank, VINO Wines (HCMC) and the Ulysses Club (Vung Tau) were magnificent. Then there was the never ending list of sponsors who donated raffle prizes and items for auction (see below). And finally, it was the ordinary people who produced the cash. One very proud father told me how his daughters had each volunteered to donate $50 each to the appeal.
Derrin Limbrick (interviewed on Melbourne's 1377MTR) and Peter Elton auction off the Buckley/O'Donnell ANZAC footy at the HCMC fundraiser
Our message of support was received back in Australia. A number of people emailed me to say that Channel 7’s Sunrise program had mentioned our fundraiser. Last week, Melbourne talk back radio station 1377MTR contacted the Vietnam Swans and requested an interview after a caller had contacted them about our jointly organised fundraiser in Vietnam. Our Saigon President, Derrin Limbrick, was interviewed by Martin King. Rick Trewavas, a Queenslander and Swannie, posted updates onto his Broad Beach Cats’ website. On the Vietnam Swans website, 37 comments were recorded (click here to read comments).
We could have done something or we could have done nothing. Collectively, we realised we had a choice. And we chose the former.
Thank you to all who contributed.
- See below for a list of our very generous sponsors.
- Click here to read a copy of the Commonwealth Bank’s email re confirmation of the money raised and transferred as well as other related matters, including a pdf copy of the Bank Transfer Form.
Regards
Phil
On behalf of the Co-Organisers: Vietnam Swans, JASPAS, AUSCHAM, VINO, Commonwealth Bank, Ulysses Club
Donations and prizes (Please note that significant companies not listed below may already have donated substantial sums directly to the Flood Appeal from their head offices back in Australia.)
- USD 3,300 – Jessica, Natasha & Louis Young (both girls did their schooling in Toowoomba)
- USD1,000 – Vinausteel and SSESTEAL (to be donated in Hanoi)
- USD 500 – Commonwealth Bank (in Australia, already donated nearly $2 million and “will provide over $57 million to those who need it most”. It has also opened entire branch network for donations, free of charge)
- USD 500 – RMIT University Staff and friends
- USD250 – Odyssey Accountants
Raffle prizes and items for auction:
- Montgomerie Links, Hoi An – 4×18 holes, caddie, cart ($500)
- Flight Travel – One travel package of 2 nights stay at 4 star hotel in Phu Quoc, Mui Ne or Nha Trang with daily breakfast. Return airport transfers are offered where applicable. Excludes airfares.
- Caravelle Hotel – One weekend night stay, Deluxe Room, inc breakfast
- Imperial Hotel, Vung Tau – 2 Nights in a Deluxe room including breakfast full retail value is $500
- La Residence Hotel, Hue – 2 nights stay including breakfast
- Tommys 3 Restaurant, Vung Tau – Dinner for two
- Park Hyatt, Saigon – Dinner for 4 with one bottle of wine, Hyatt Square ($300)
- Soham Yoga Studio and Boutique at 84T/4 Tran Dinh Xu, Dist 1 – 5 Aromatherapy Eye Pillows ($75)
- Vietnam Swans – Swans footy kit: jumper, polo shirt, bag,hat, stubby holder
- Saigon Shooters Netball Team – 6 months membership, bag and shirt.
- Boomerang Bar & Restaurant – One 20 liter keg (Singapore office has already donated USD10,000 directly to appeal)
- Australian Consulate and Trade Commission – One return airfare to Australia (from Vietnam) excl. taxes
- Thai Business Association of Vietnam – 3 “Thai Cooking” coffee table books
- Jasper Waale – Thailand trip. La Meridian, Chang Mai
- Sailing Club Resort, Mui Ne – 2 nights accommodation (Superior Bungalow)
- Orchid Hotelier, Mui Ne – 1 night stay including breakfast at L’Anmien
- VINO – Wine
- Sheraton Hotel – Sheraton/Starwood accommodation. Details tba
- Kangaroo Indochine Wines – Gift Packs
- Hilton Hotel, Hanoi – Accommodation
- Jim Beam – 2 x 4.5litre bottles
- Stockman’s whip and tube of vegemite.
- Indochina Capital – Six Senses Con Dao Resort – Three Night stay in a ocean view pool villa inclusive of daily breakfast and airport transfers.
- Indochina Capital – The Nam Hai, Hoi An – Three Night stay in a hotel ocean view villa inclusive of daily breakfast.
- Indochina Capital – Novotel, Phan Thiet – Two Night Stay in a beach view room inclusive of daily breakfast and golf at Ocean Dunes Golf Club.
- Renaissance Riverside Hotel – Dinner for 4
- VATC English College, HCMC – Voucher for Englisgh course ($1,119)
- Don’s Bistro – 2 vouchers
- Ginger Bar and Restaurant – 1 dinner voucher
- Wild Lotus Restaurant – 1 dinner voucher
- The Warehouse – 1 bottle of wine
- Press Club – 2 vouchers
- Sherrin footy signed by Nathan Buckley (Collingwood) and Gary O’Donnell (Essendon) on their 2010 ANZAC trip to Saigon – Donated by Rowan Luke