Braving the chill for MND research

STAFF at Coles supermarket Sebastopol have faced freezing temperatures to raise money in support of the FightMND foundation.

Last week, eight staff members completed an ice bucket challenge with the aim of raising $50,000 for the organisation which funds research into motor neurone disease.

This was store manager Sharon Germon’s last ice bucket challenge with Coles Sebastopol.

“I have been here since the store opened and we had the first ice bucket challenge last year,” she said.

“I think it’s really, really important to support a cause that is so well known and so important.

“The research that they can do with the money raised is really important.”

The store was ranked among the top six fundraising stores across Australia and finished first last year.

Ballarat Coles stores have raised nearly $150,000 for FightMND during the Big Freeze 10 campaign in 2024, and more than $712,000 since 2018.

FightMND is working to find effective treatments and a cure for the disease which results in nerve cells failing to work properly.

Former AFL player Neale Daniher, who has MND, co-founded the organisation, and his wife Jan was at Coles Sebastopol to thank the team members.

“It’s extremely special to be up in Ballarat,” she said.

“Coles have been a fantastic partner for FightMND and especially up here in Ballarat, the community up here has been amazing.

“Sebastopol have raised $53,000 and that’s an incredible amount of money.”