The Launch of the Campaign
22/07/2011A year's worth of planning culminated in a Cocktail Party in the Abernethy Hall on Friday 22 July with the "official launch" of the Fundraising Campaign "An Investment in Boys High is an Investment in South Africa". Once the website had gone live and some of the year groups had been able to get their hard-copies of the promotional material, they started contacting their class groups so the launch really became a get-together of those who were part of the teams rather than a launch per se.
The function was very well attended with 53 of the 60 year groups represented, the year groups spanning the 60 years from 1950 to 2009. Of the 7 groups not represented, 5 are comfortably up and running with only 2 needing some assistance in the weeks ahead. The positive feeling for the school and the campaign was tangible, evidence yet again of the Boys High magic. If we can sustain this level of enthusiasm and interest for the full eight weeks of the campaign, then I have no doubt that we will meet our target and, in fact, exceed it. A number of years, without coercion on my part, have decided to double their target, another year proudly informed me before the end of the evening that they were already halfway to their target (which was R500,00) and during the course of the weekend, a number of year groups copied letters to me that they were using for their specific classmates - some brilliant letters.
There do, unfortunately, seem to be a few teething problems in terms of the administration and payments. Should you bank with FNB please indicate that you are paying into a savings account for the payment to go through. Please also let whoever has approached you know that you have pledged so that you are not nagged and on all occasions please submit your pledge form by the means of your choice to Mrs Bloemink. Should you have pledged, paid, etc, but not heard from me personally by email to thank you and acknowledge payment within a few days, don't hesitate to contact me as something may have gone astray.
From next week, we are going to publish a weekly update of the state of the campaign, so do visit the Fundraising website from time to time to see how your decade and year is doing. No contribution is too small and while a one off contribution is first prize, all pledges over three years, 36 months and even beyond, are most welcome. The full amount will be credited to your year immediately, even if it is only going to come in over the full period.
Thank you for your enthusiastic support thus far and for any contribution you are prepared to make.
Warm regards
Bill
