RECORD CHRISTMAS WRAPPING DONATION A GREAT COMMUNITY GIFT
March 10, 2022
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RECORD CHRISTMAS WRAPPING DONATION A GREAT COMMUNITY GIFT
A record donation of $37,000 to the region’s rescuers was a wonderful gift which helps save lives and make an enormous difference to the sick and injured in this community.
RACQ CQ Rescue CEO Ian Rowan said the donation from ESA Alpha Rho, the proceeds of the charity Christmas gift-wrapping stall at Caneland Central, was an 18-year record for the service organisation and volunteers who spent more than 400 hours before Christmas wrapping and beautifully decorating shoppers’ gifts for a gold coin donation to charity.
“This dedication to fundraising is truly inspiring and it has reaped incredible rewards for our community and our not-for-profit rescue helicopter service in recent years,” he said.
“Last year the proceeds of the gift-wrapping stall amounted to a donation of $37,000 which is absolutely vital to helping CQ Rescue save lives across the region and be available to anyone, anywhere and at any time.”
Christmas shoppers were always more than happy to donate to such a worthy cause and have their gifts beautifully wrapped and decorated by the wonderful volunteers, confident their money would be utilised to benefit others in our region, Mr Rowan said.
In the 18 years the gift-wrapping stall had been operating at the centre, more than $600,000 had been raised for local charities.
Mr Rowan thanked both Caneland Central and ESA Alpha Rho Mackay for their ongoing generosity and the countless hours volunteers spent manning the stall to benefit such a very deserving local charity.
“The 2021 gift wrapping stall resulted in a record donation to CQ Rescue and this is an accurate representation of the esteem and support the community has for our hard-working helicopter crew,” Mr Rowan said.
“Caneland Central and ESA Alpha Rho’s support for CQ Rescue and the money they’ve raised gift wrapping is absolutely invaluable to us as an organisation as we rely very heavily on community donations to stay up in the air and saving lives.”
The proceeds of the gift-wrapping stall would be directed towards helicopter operations and subsequently would directly benefit the people who lived, worked and visited Central Queensland.
“Our operational costs amounted to $10.5 million last year and that’s always increasing as is the demand for our rescue helicopter service,” Mr Rowan said.
“Each year we have to source about half of that money from the community we serve, so we are incredibly appreciative of very generous and ongoing donations like this which help ensure we can be the lifeline people in this region deserve in a time of dire need.”
Mr Rowan said the reality was every time you saw the blue and yellow helicopter flying overhead on a task, you were seeing locally raised money at work, saving lives here at home in Central Queensland.
“That’s local generosity in action which is helping us keep flying to the rescue whenever and wherever we are needed. Such peace of mind being delivered year on year by ESA and Caneland Central is a tremendous gift to this community,” he said.
Caneland Central Manager Simon De Barro said it was always very reassuring to see local volunteer groups and businesses join forces to support other locals.
“Caneland Central were delighted to welcome back the ESA Alpha Rho volunteers to gift wrap and raise funds for essential services in the Mackay community. In their 18th year of volunteering at the centre, they received a record $43,000 to donate with over 8,600 shoppers using the service – an incredible achievement,” he said.
“$37,000 of the funds raised will go towards supporting RACQ CQ Rescue and the remaining $6,000 will be given to Queensland Remote Area Tracking, a specialised emergency service based in Mackay.
“We look forward to continuing our long-standing partnership with ESA Alpha Rho and their dedicated volunteers into the future.”
In 2021 RACQ CQ Rescue completed 704 missions across an area four times the size of Tasmania.
[ENDS]
ESA Alpha Rho Mackay branch representatives have presented a cheque for $37,000 to RACQ CQ Rescue, the proceeds of the 2021 Christmas gift wrapping stall at Caneland Central.
Please credit any released photos and video footage to RACQ CQ Rescue.
Please note: Full title of rescue service is RACQ CQ Rescue.
For further information please contact:
Naomi Noy
RACQ CQ Rescue
Ph: 0417 578 182