Torquay Rotary banks support for Very Special Kids

Very Special Kids local representative Brigitte Johnson received a $1,000 cheque from Rotary to help the charity’s cause.

With Bunnings also being a supporter of the charity, their Torquay store provided the ideal spot for Rotary to look to raise money for the charity.

Torquay Rotary has been helping Very Special Kids for some time now, and Rotarian John McDonald played a key role in partnering the link between the two groups.

Mr McDonald said he became aware of the charity when he was part of a different Rotary group. He had a friend there, who through his work with former charity partner Tattslotto, would drive around the pink piggy bank to different shopping centres to try to raise funds for the cause.

While the pink pig remains part of the charity’s fundraising, Mr McDonald said the way Rotary helped raise money is quite different.

“So now what happens is they (Very Special Kids) have an appointment with Bunnings. They come down and we have a barbecue up there that we run and they come and have a stall on the entrance into Bunnings where they sell all sorts of things that support Very Special Kids.”

Very Special Kids supports more than 900 families with recovery or bereavement. They provide children’s hospice and professional family support services.

It was founded in 1984 by two families who had children die from leukemia and recognised the need for other families going through similar experiences to receive support.