What precisely do you intend to do with the money raised?
What we intend to do with the money depends on how much you come
up with. Our first priority is to cover our running costs. We have to pay
phone, fax, mailing, and printing. Software - and occasional hardware -
purchases. Of these, by far the largest item is the printing and mailing of
the Newsletter. It is worth noting that your membership fees are NOT used
for salary purposes. Helene, Richard and many others donate freely and
generously their time. I should be happy to post the annual financial
statement of the Association if you so wish. If however the influx of funds
permits it, we will use your donations (on a modest scale) for such items
as:
a) gifts or loans to alumni who are in a situation of need. In recent years
two donations of CHF500 have been made to retired long service staff who
were in a difficult financial (health related) situation. Another gift was
made to help an alumnus who is dedicating his life to work as a doctor in
third world countries for minimal financial reward.
b) provision of scholarships in the school - preferentially, but not
exclusively, sons and daughters of alumni/ae
c) supporting projects in the school such as the purchase of computers and
books, science equipment, building projects etc.
However our first priority is to give the Association a sound financial
basis. We do not wish to be fat cats sitting on a large bank balance - but
we have been perilously close to the zero level on several occasions in
recent years.