This year, I got to participate in the CKNW Orphans’ Fund Pledge Drive held at the Terminal City Club in downtown Vancouver. As a member of the Rotary Club of Vancouver, I was happy to volunteer to answer calls from donors making their pledges. The Rotary Club of Vancouver has long been a supporter of the CKNW Orphans’ Fund.
Back Row (from left): Gerry Glazier, Marlene Glazier, Rene Georges Abi-Rached, Milton Kiang
Front Row: Myron Kuzych, Barbara Welsh, Bill Schulz
This is the first time for me to answer phones in a pledge drive. I have seen on TV countless times telethon volunteers taking calls from outside donors, and always wondered what that must be like. When I was a kid, I thought the volunteers were just actors pretending to answer phones. But I was wrong.
The room was pretty noisy, and there was a lot of excitement among the volunteers, organizers, and staff. A choir outside the room sang Christmas carols, and inside the room, a stage was set up with a broadcaster’s table. A CKNW radio announcer broadcasted the activities live, and during one segment, interviewed Rotary Club President Terry Gunderson and Past-President & Rotary District 5040 Director Don Evans.
Interviewees: Left – Don Evans, Terry Gunderson
I was impressed by the generosity of the donors. By the end of the drive, $2M was raised for children with special needs. I took calls from people who donated sums ranging from $25 to $250. Those who donated a hundred dollars and over were entitled to a Sarah McLachlan Christmas CD.
Left: Marlene Glazier, Gerry Glazier, Milton Kiang
