Quota Cares Month 2003 Top Winner
Quota International of
Norfolk Island, South Pacific
Winning Project: Six Service Fundraisers
in the Month of March

Norfolk Island Quotarians are staffing a table at the local Foodlands (grocery store) inviting people to make pledges of money for the Radiothon that was to be held that night to raise AUS$5,500 for a Heart Start Machine for the Norfolk Island Ambulance. Left to right: Dr. Lloyd Fletcher; Zena Zeilstra, Norfolk Island club "Friend of Quota"; Joyce Dyer, club secretary; and Patricia Anderson, club president.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Norfolk Island is a small 5 by 3 mile island with a population of 1900, situated east of Australia in the South Pacific Ocean. Our club consists of nine members and with the help of some friends we call "Friends of Quota" we planned to make Quota Cares Month a very full program—one that would really make the community aware that Quota Cares. Our aim was to have at least one fund-raising event every week during March:

Event 1—On behalf of the Norfolk Island Special Education Developmental Unit for children with speech and learning difficulties, sell raffle tickets for a hand-worked comforter donated by the mother of a Norfolk Island club "Friend of Quota." Amount raised: $877.80

Event 2—Hand Patchwork and Needlework Display at Greenwich Building. Over 500 exhibits were displayed, including needlework from 1850 to the modern day. It was a beautiful and very well organized display of 20 ladies' needlework. Amount raised: $446.95

Event 3—Open House at Government House. This was held via permission of the Administrator of Norfolk Island and was very popular with visitors to our island. Our Government House is a beautiful Georgian building of locally quarried sandstone and built in the 1920s. Amount raised: $1,290.00

Event 4—Radiothon at our local radio station to raise $5,500 for a 'Heart Start Machine' for the Norfolk Island St. Johns Ambulance. Quota members were assisted by 22 past and present announcers who took part playing requests from 4:30 p.m. to 1:15 a.m. It was a nostalgic trip for many listeners. Amount raised: $4,899.00

Zena Zeilstra, a Norfolk Island club "Friend of Quota" wears her shirt advertising the Radiothon for the Heart Start Machine. Zena had canvassed the other shops in the town for pledges.

Event 5—Monthly social event in the form of a craft evening making gift cards at the Church of England Parish Center. Norfolk Island club "Friend of Quota" Mary Grinstead instructed 18 ladies in the art of card making. Proceeds from the evening were donated to the club. Amount raised: $180.00

Event 6—Dutch Auction—held at the local radio station—of a "40 Licks" double CD autographed by Sir Mick Jagger and donated to the club to raise the balance of funds for the Heart Start Machine. Amount raised: $700.00.

Dr. Fred Leditschke (center) of St. Johns First Aid is surrounded by Norfolk Island club members as he holds the Heart Start Machine. Standing left to right: Leigh Christian-Mitchell, past club secretary; Joan Kenny, club vice president; Lavina Quintal, past club treasurer; Patricia Anderson, club president; Dr. Leditschke; Joyce Dyer, secretary and St. Johns First Aid captain. Kneeling in front, left to right: Ann Wright, club treasurer, and Colleen Crane, Norfolk Island guide leader.

RELATED RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES
It was hoped that with all the interaction between Quota members and our Quota friends, and the camaraderie and excellent response we got to our projects from the community, that friends would feel more like part of the club than just social members or people who helped when we needed a hand. It must have worked as we now have three Norfolk Island club "Friends of Quota" who wish to become members.

MEDIA/COMMUNITY EDUCATION
The whole Quota Cares Month had coverage over the local radio. Also, every week in the local paper we kept the community informed about what had happened and what was going to happen. The radio station did special "promos" for Quota and these were played several times a day. At the beginning of the month, our president was interviewed on local radio and she explained what Quota stood for and the aims of Quota Cares Month. Foundation member Joyce Dyer was also interviewed at a later date, and she was able to relay how Quota started on Norfolk Island and what Quota stands for plus the work done by Quota clubs in the rest of the world.

BENEFITS TO CLUB, COMMUNITY
Quota on Norfolk Island is very low key. We just work quietly in the community doing our yearly projects and helping out where we can. All this up front activity has really brought us to the fore. I think it has made the community aware that although we might only be a small band of women, we are accountable. Our members are all mature ladies and hard workers, and their enthusiasm and involvement in the different projects is commendable. Most still work so it was a case of fitting in as much as possible. Not everyone could help with every project, but with the help of our "Friends of Quota" we got there. And along the way, we had a good time.

Our community has benefited. Most importantly we have a Heart Start Machine for our ambulance. The Norfolk Island Special Education Developmental Unit is a relatively new unit, and it is self-supporting, so the money raised with the raffle will be a big help to them. We have collected additional funds to help with another worthy project in the future. We, as members, have benefited from working as a team and three of our "Friends" are ready to join.