Courage Night - Torch Award Winner - Nile Henderson

I would like to nominate Nyle and Diane Henderson for the TORCH Award for their work in overcoming their obstacles and creating opportunities and a second chance for life through Project Share Life, which is a project that came out of their difficult challenges.

Well, back in 1996, I became aware of the terrible need for additional people on the National Maradona Registry. And.

Having been a Rotarian for many years, I brought it to our club's attention. And they felt there was something, an effort they could, could help the cause. And so on January 1st of 97, we started Rotary Project Share Life, which is a bone marrow donor recruitment program. Today, it takes about 15 minutes, one time in your life, one time to be on the registry, and you're on there till you're 60 years old because it's simply a mouse swab, a cotton mouth swab, and an application. That's it. In California, we have tested 20,000 people and we have raised about a quarter of a million dollars. 5, 10, 20, 50, $100 at a time. Sometimes a Rotary Club will do a fundraiser where there's two or $3,000, but it's just this constant effort that's made this work. We've had all the overhead donated, so we could honestly say we pledge every penny to the cause. Not all of our dreams are perfect, but if you've got the ambition and the drive and you go out and you seek advice and you consult, usually you can put together a program that's pretty effect.

I.