29 April, 2021 Dear DGs, DGE Classmates 2021-2022, and friends: As the COVID-19 virus surge sweeps the country of India, we are reaching out to all of you for support to change lives. After consultation with the Chair of the India Rotary COVID Task Force the most urgent need is for portable Oxygen Concentrators. These units are portable and will serve many in the coming weeks and months. Here is the message from PRID Ashok Mahajan, Chair of the India Covid Task Force: "One of the avowed objectives of the Task Force is to help establish “ROTARY OXYGEN BANKS” in every metropolis in India. We aim to set up a Bank of Oxygen Concentrators in each city. The Bank would loan an Oxygen Concentrator to a patient in need, with the proviso that after the immediate crisis is over, the concerned person would return the Concentrator to the Oxygen Bank. Such a Bank would be of help to a large number of people over an extended period of time. Hopefully, this devastating wave of the COVID Pandemic would abate in a while. After that, the Oxygen Bank would be of immense value for any subsequent wave and would be a sensible fall-back option. The Oxygen Bank would also be of immense value to economically disadvantaged individuals suffering from ILD (Interstitial Lung Disease) or other Chest ailments that require Oxygenation for the patient.”
The project will be open for three weeks from the date we send the financial routing information due to the urgency of the situation in India.
Suggested donation but any amount is welcome: The price of each Oxygen concentrator in India is approximately US $1000 which includes shipping and handling. Our goal is to have the funds purchase at least 100 units if not more. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with agencies and the South Asian community like the Gujarati Samaj, Hindu Temple, Sikh Gurdwara, Mosques, and other Indian organizations and share this critical information.
Please encourage individual donations as well. Charitable receipts will be issued upon request. Our next letter will include banking and mailing details of the Rotary Foundations who have stepped forward to assist in saving lives.
Please stay tuned. | 
