By JESSE GRAHAM
THE Salvos and Healesville Jewellers will be raising money for the Red Shield Appeal in the coming week, shaking tins in place of a beloved fund-raiser who suffered a heart attack on Saturday.
Healesville Salvation Army Lieutenant Sarah Eldridge said the organisation would be running a fund-raising day on Saturday 4 June, to gather funds on behalf of long-time fund-raiser, Ray Ryan.
Mr Ryan, who can usually be found with his fund-raising tin out the front of the jewellers, suffered a heart attack on Saturday 28 May near the Healesville RSL.
Lt Eldridge said that a doctor based at the east end of town rushed to the scene with a defibrillator to save Mr Ryan’s life.
An Ambulance Victoria MICA team and local paramedics then treated Mr Ryan, before he was taken to hospital.
Lt Eldridge said he was expected to recover, but was still in intensive care.
She said Mr Ryan often competed with himself during the Red Shield Appeal, trying to top his previous year’s fund-raising, and that the Salvos and the jewellers would be collecting money in his stead in the coming week to top up his efforts.
Donations can be made during the week to the Healesville Jewellers, 197A Maroondah Highway, Healesville, or to volunteers at the aptly named Let’s Do It For Ray Red Shield Day on Saturday 4 June.
On the Saturday, volunteers will shake tins at the front of the jewellers – in Mr Ryan’s usual spot – to add to his fund-raising total for the appeal.
Lt Eldridge said that Mr Ryan had a goal of $3500 for this year’s Red Shield Appeal, but had raised just under $1000 before the attack.
“It would be an absolute miracle to get to that, but if we can at least get him well-and-truly over the $1000 mark, I think he’ll be pretty happy with that,” she said.
Cards and notes can also be dropped off at the jewellers, which Lt Eldridge said would be collected and taken to Mr Ryan on Sunday.
