General News
16 March, 2023
Bowling for charity
A CORPORATE Barefoot Bowls fundraiser was recently held to raise funds for Ronald McDonald House’s Room 11.
A CORPORATE Barefoot Bowls fundraiser was recently held to raise funds for Ronald McDonald House’s Room 11.
The night raised over $2500, with the bowls clubrooms decorated in bright reds and yellows by Fiona Noone.
Organiser Lorraine Uren said it was a “successful and fun” night, and she was “very happy” with the total raised.
“I asked all the businesses around town if they’d like to put in a team, and the response was great,” she said.
“I’d been in contact with a lady in Melbourne who works at McDonald’s, and they helped us out by sending 60 pairs of the McHappy Day socks.
“Each team’s entry fee included a pair of McHappy Day socks, and anyone else who wanted to buy a pair did so.”
Winners of the bowls night were D. Smith, D. Rowe and I. Collins from the Dalberti Wines team, with runners up being F. Noone, N. Holliday and S. Aitken from the Derrinallum Yacht Club.
Donors towards the event included Woolworths Camperdown, C. Love, P. Rowe, B. McDonald, R. and K. McGavin, Dalberti Wines, L. and M. Howard, Mortlake Pharmacy, M. Beeche, L. Rounds, Gorst Rural, Western Aerial, French Family, Derrinallum Supermarket, M. Wright, J. Anderson, Camperdown Quality Meats, R. Walters, and Coxon Auto Electrical.
Ms Uren described Room 11 as a “home away from home” after the Uren family spent five months there in 2019, and began fundraising that year.
“It costs $5000 to upkeep the room a year,” she said.
“We made about $8000 at that fundraiser, and because of the money we made we were able to adopt the room.
“Room 11 now has a plaque on the front door of it saying ‘Room 11: Adopted by the Derrinallum community’.
“Each year, I try to fundraise around $5000 to help support that room because it is used by families all across Australia and overseas.”
Ms Uren said the Ronald McDonald house, was a place where families can be together at a time when their lives are turned upside down.
“They might be in there for a few weeks, or they might be in there for a few months, but it becomes a home for people with sick children in the Royal Children’s Hospital,” she said.
“Last year we did a calendar and a few other small fundraisers.
“It’s in a small community, so it’s quite hard to fundraise; we’re not always going to get to $5000 a year, but I try and aim at that.
“I would like to get to the $5000 target if I could. I’m trying to think of another couple of fundraisers for the future.”
