The demand for the Project Action bus has grown so much over the last couple of years that a third bus is desperately needed, but first they need the funds to run it.

To raise the money, Project Action is holding a golf tournament and grand raffle.

The inaugural Sir John Plowman golf tournament and raffle will be held at the end of November to help meet the growing financial needs of the organisation.

The idea for Project Action was first suggested by the late Sir John Plowman, an elder statesman and tireless advocate for senior citizens.

Project Action started out as a door-to-door islandwide bus service for rest home residents and has grown to include any senior citizen that needs a ride, and also the physically handicapped of any age.

"It has evolved to what the need seem to be," said Cindy Swan, chairman of Project Action. "There are some people who have difficulty getting out and they are not necessarily seniors. We have involved them."

Many of the senior citizens on the bus are going to do volunteer work in the community.

"That is important," said Mrs. Swan. "Instead of sitting home and not doing anything, they are coming out and volunteering in the community and we are providing transportation for them to do that. We probably have about 15 percent of our riders going out to volunteer."

Project Action presently has two buses, a red one and a blue one, kindly donated by philanthropist David Barber. Now he has donated funds for a third bus, but Project Action is trying to raise the money to keep it running.

"The third bus will be smaller, and will also Project Action to pick up passengers living along Bermuda's narrow tribe roads and lanes.

"We are not going to put it on stream until we can secure administration funds to run that bus," said Mrs. Swan. "That is part of the reason that we have put on a raffle to help subsidise and offset the financial costs involved in running this free transportation for Project Action."

Raffle tickets at $50, are available from a number of places including Asian Pearl Furniture Store on Par-la-Ville Road, from Eden Hair Beauty & Health Spa on Reid Street and Kafu Hair & Gallery on Parliament Street and In-Between Boutique on Court Street.

Prizes include a car and motorcycle from HWP, a $5,000 Capital G Gold Certificate of Deposit, a seven day Royal Caribbean cruise for two, British Airways and US Airways tickets, a $2,000 gift certificate from Asian Pearl, a stove from Bermuda Gas, grocery vouchers, a five night stay at Ariel Sands and a Movado watch from Crisson Jewellers.

"For fifty dollars you have a change of winning a great prize and providing free transportation for a senior or a physically challenged person for a year and in conjunction with that win a fabulous prize," said Mrs. Swan.

Project Action will be outside the Phoenix Store on Reid Street selling raffle tickets on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

The raffle tickets will be drawn at the end of the November 26 inaugural Sir John Plowman Golf Classic ? featuring PGA (senior) Champions Tour player Jim Thorpe.

"He is donating his time to come down to Bermuda to support the seniors here," said Mrs. Swan. "He has never been here before. His wife Carol Thorpe is a friend of mine.

"She is the international chairperson of the event, and Sir John Plowman's son Michael is the local event chairman."

This will be a one-day event using the courses of both Belmont Hills in the morning and Riddell's Bay in the afternoon.

All tournament players will get the opportunity to meet Mr. Thorpe as he will be going from hole to hole throughout the day.

For more information telephone 297-5044.