The bus is on its way, travelling up the country to Auckland from where it will be shipped to Rarotonga.
 
The team in Rarotonga  
 
A formal send off from Masterton was held on Sunday 15 April when around 20 Rotarians including DG Mitch and DGE Marion attended as well as local dignatories from the Wairapara.  A number of locals took the opportunity to look at the medical facilities set up inside the bus and congratulate the team who had worked to so hard to ensure this happened.  The handover to the Rarotonga government will take place in Apia on 18 June and approximately 16 Rotarians will be attending.  DG Mitch will be there on his way to Toronto for the RI International conference.
 
 
Whilst the Masterton South team of David Baker, Dr Rob Irwin and Paul Snelgrove have worked very hard on getting the bus completed and ready to travel, there have been a number of other key people  who deserve our thanks. Stuart Twaddle of Inglewood, a District 9940 member of the International Committee, has been there for us since the 2017 District 9940 Conference in New Plymouth, also Bev Wells of Port Nicholson who we met at Conference. Thanks to our Project partners from Rarotonga led by Mark Boyd, President, and the Cook Islands Ministry of Health people, Elizabeth Iro and Valentino Wichman also their Public Health team. Our current DG Mitchell Brown has been absolutely  inspirational in promoting the cause, and the tortuous Global grant application passage was eased by Jeanette Drysdale from Otahuhu, Stuart Batty of RNZWCS Ltd, and Brent Drage, our Region Grants Officer. We also wish to acknowledge the generosity of those Rotary Clubs of District 9940, and some from other Districts, who have pledged money in support of the Rarotonga MMHC project, absolutely every little bit helped!