Spirt of Bob' lifts orphans

Mail Time
By Jo Morris


SUNRISE Children's Villages in Cambodia founder and president Geraldine Cox was `blown away' by the generosity of Wimmera people when she visited the region this week.

Ms Cox, AM, was in Horsham for a Horsham East Rotary Club fundraiser on Wednesday, which was instigated by the late Bob Mibus.

Ms Cox said she was stunned by the $18,000 raised for Sunrise Children's Villages, saying it was the most `financially rewarding' Rotary event she had ever been to.

"Rotary clubs across Australia help with donations from four- wheel-drives to school buses to salaries for computer teachers. Rotary is my biggest sponsor so I try to never knock back an invitation to come," she said.

"When I decided I was coming to Horsham I asked around to see how the drought and bushfire had affected this area and as soon as I heard that it had I thought the trip here probably wouldn't be all that financially rewarding.

"But the spirit of Bob and Horsham people has really shone through; this money will go a long way in Cambodia." Ms Cox said Sunrise Children's Villages had two orphanages in Cambodia with a third on its way. She said there were 150 children cared for in the Phnom Penh orphanage and 60 at Siem Reap.

Ms Cox said money raised at the Horsham Rotary event would run the Siem Reap centre for more than a month.

"That is all expenses, food, salaries, education, medical care, it will cover at least six weeks," she said.

Ms Cox, whose visit to the Wimmera also included a civic reception at Horsham Civic Centre and a visit to Horsham RSL yesterday, said a number of people had also bought merchandise from her and signed up to sponsor children.

Ms Cox said she regularly had to turn children away from her orphanages because of the need to only help the `poorest of the poor' and ensure quality of life for those in her care.

But she said despite the difficulties of her work and a life that saw her spend about 10 months a year in Cambodia and two in Australia and other countries fundraising, she would never give it up.

"They will have to take me away kicking and screaming," she said. "The children believe I can make miracles happen for them so I need to perform."