General News
21 April, 2022
Warracknabeal’s Good Friday Appeal smashes fundraising record
Warracknabeal CFA have raised a record amount of donations following Good Friday
THE Warracknabeal Country Fire Authority Brigade has raised over $25K in donations for the 2022 Good Friday Appeal.
The $25,107.40 worth of donations were accumulated through raffle tickets throughout the year, a successful Easter Egg hunt including an appearance from the Easter Bunny on April 2, and the traditional tin collections by volunteers.
The 2022 tally result was an almost $6K improvement over the 2021 fundraising amount of$19,114.70.
Warracknabeal Brigade captain Cameron Whelan said the turnout and money raised left the Warrack Brigade “astounded”.
“(We) were wondering how it would go this year,” Mr Whelan said.
“I’ve run some calculations based on population and the donations given. (The) total population of Warracknabeal and Brim equates to $6.95 per head (whereas) the total per head statewide is $4.31.
“Whilst this is a quick calculation and there are many variables, it clearly shows the enormous generosity of our area.”
Read more: Growing active COVID-19 cases in the Wimmera
Mr Whelan described the event as a “combined effort with the community,” with many donations coming from people whose family and friends have personally benefited from services and care offered by the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Donations raised from the Good Friday Appeal contribute to medical research, new equipment and technology, and life-saving treatments for children, and family support and programs, and staff education, training and scholarships.
The Warracknabeal Fire Brigade has participated in the Good Friday Appeal for the past fifty years and holds a long-standing tradition of putting massive amounts of effort into the day, Mr Whelan said.
Mr Whelan said he has been a part of the Good Friday Appeal for 27 years, with 17 of those years as a member of the Warrack Brigade.
Mr Whelan said It was a “big week” for the Warracknabeal Community and the Brigade, with many Brigade members beginning the collection of donations at 7am and continuing on until 9pm.
“It’s a lot of effort to (put) in. We thank everybody who supported (the cause) and everybody involved, including the community and Brigade members,” he said.
For anyone wanting to volunteer for the Good Friday Appeal, Mr Whelan suggested they get in touch with a local volunteer organization or the local CFA.