Donations welcome

AS COVID-19 restrictions continue to force cancellations of annual fundraising events for a second year, the community is encouraged to consider making donations to local charities.

Volunteer groups and charities such as the St John of God Geelong Hospital Auxiliary have important targets and projects to support, but restrictions are having a significant impact on fundraising.

Auxiliary president Alex Jeffrey said the auxiliary had spent time planning its annual spring luncheon fundraiser for this month, with Geelong’s Cameron Ling headlining the event as guest speaker.

Alex said the luncheon was one of the group’s major fundraisers for the year and among the events that many people had been optimistically hoping restrictions would ease in time for it to proceed.

She said all money raised from the luncheon would have gone towards the purchase of new cardio-care technology for the hospital.

Alex said organising events and being forced to cancel was also difficult for local venues and she thanked Capri Receptions where the luncheon was planned, for their flexibility and support.

Traditional fundraisers such as raffles have also more difficult to organise, although the auxiliary had been able to go ahead with its Christmas raffle last year and hopes to plan for another later this year.

The auxiliary is also hopeful anyone who had planned to attend the luncheon or wished to support St John of God’s cardio unit would make a donation direct to the hospital, via the website.