Lions raise over $26k for kids’ hospital

AFTER days of collecting and many solid hours of can-rattling the Lions Club of Bacchus Marsh raised a total of $26,177 for this year’s Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal.

The club’s Gerry Monaghan, area coordinator for the appeal, said the final figure may have been even higher with some online donations not factored into that tally.

The local Lions club members and supporters were out and about both in the lead up to Good Friday and on the day itself, collecting as they have done for years.

Monaghan said the final total was down a little this year and club members believe this may have been due to the impact of increased living costs and the crunch on fuel prices.

But as always, the Lions were well received with people expressing their appreciation with both positive words of encouragement and some very generous individual donations as well.

“A couple of our people who were collecting received $100 notes and some received $50 notes, and we always get comments from people that they love to see the Lions out collecting,” Monaghan said.

“And the Royal Children’s Hospital is now putting money back into major regional hospitals as well which is good.”

Monaghan praised the generosity of Bacchus Marsh locals and visitors, and all of the businesses throughout the town centre, Darley and Maddingley who had hosted the purple collection containers throughout the year and allowed the club’s collectors to be present in the days leading up to Good Friday.

“Special thanks to the Bacchus Marsh CFA for allowing the club to use their stationhouse as a registration and counting centre on the day,” he said.

Overall it was a record-breaking result for the annual appeal that raised a final total of $25,268,485 marking its 95th year of fundraising.

Among all of the participating regional towns across Victoria and southern New South Wales, Ballarat raised the second highest total of $217,609.72 overall, with Albury-Wodonga just ahead with $268,457.42 and Devenish, Dookie and District raising the third highest regional contribution with $200,722.04.