By KATH GANNAWAY
THE Yarra Valley did its bit for the Royal Children’s Hospital Appeal with fund-raisers and doorknocks contributing to the record $17,445,624.38 total on Good Friday.
Warburton’s profile was heightened this year with a $9,035.50 contribution from the Triple100 cycle event held in February along the Warburton Trail, along with $2,777.70 from the Warburton CFA doorknock.
Hillcrest CFA volunteers were also out in force in Woori Yallock and Launching Place raising more than $3750.
Healesville and Badger Creek brigade members had their best year ever, collecting a record $18,208.30.
Mr Orr and his family put Warburton in the limelight early in the day, presenting a cheque during the Good Friday Appeal telethon and thanking all the riders and supporters who took part.
“We hope they will all be back next year to try to better their times and help us hit the $10,000 mark,” he said.
Healesville CFA Captain Graeme Bates said the brigade had been in the 16,000s before, but to reach over $18,000 was a fantastic result.
“It was an absolutely magic weekend in terms of the weather, and with quite a few people at home it worked out very well,” he said.
Warburton CFA secretary/treasurer Chris Nicholson said with new members they had more people doorknocking and a generous response from locals and tourists who swell the population over Easter.
“They are always very supportive of the Appeal,” he said.
Sam Livesay, who organised Hillcrest’s campaign, and whose two-year-old son, Hunter, was a patient at the children’s hospital within weeks of his birth, simply said ‘thank you’ to everyone who donated.
“Our doorknock was interrupted with a couple of fires, so we didn’t get to Don Valley, but we’ll catch up next year,” she said.
She said a highlight for members was taking the money into the Appeal headquarters.
“You don’t know how much you’ve raised and it’s great to get that total.
“People are really generous,” she said.
Rural and regional Appeal collectors raised an incredible $3,605,876 and the Yarra Valley CFA volunteers were among thousands around the state who raised a record $1,763,267.45.
