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    FOUNDATION DONATION: Blue Ribbon Foundation Horsham Branch members, from left, Geoff Lord, Les Power, Paul Margetts, Kelly Schilling, Dale Russell, Vanessa O’Loughlin and John Barber present Wimmera Health Care Group chief executive Catherine Morley with an $80,000 cheque. The donation, made in honour of police officers who have died in the line of duty and in respect to officers still serving, is part of a $100,000 fundraising goal that the branch will continue to work towards. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER

Goal in sight for Foundation

BY Lotte Reiter

Organisers of an annual Commissioner’s Dinner and Gala event in Horsham are hoping to seal the deal of a three-year Blue Ribbon Foundation Horsham Branch donation goal for Wimmera Cancer Centre.

Foundation members recently presented Wimmera Health Care Group’s chief executive Catherine Morley with $80,000.

The foundation has set a $100,000 target.



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The donation followed a dedicated month of barbecue and bake-sale events in September, contributing to a yearly fundraising figure of $4300 with partners Woolworths Horsham.

And with the group’s next major fundraising event in sight – a black-tie Commissioner’s Dinner and Gala event early next year – foundation branch secretary Kelly Schilling said their goal was well within reach.

“We had a three-year goal to raise $100,000 for the Wimmera Cancer Centre and we hope to complete raising the last $20,000 across the next six months to a year, with two major fundraisers on the calendar,” she said.

Ms Schilling said the gala dinner would be on Saturday, February 15, 2020, and an annual ‘Inside Story’, formerly known as Crime Night, is planned for July.

The gala night recognises the contributions and sacrifices of Victorian police officers, while also helping to raise money for the Wimmera community and celebrate regional food and produce.

Ms Schilling said tickets for next year’s dinner had been reduced to $65 each, with drinks at bar prices, in an effort to achieve greater community participation. 

She said she hoped the event would be a fantastic way to put a major dent in the branch’s final leg of the campaign.

“Tickets include nibbles on arrival followed by a two-course meal, guest speaker Western Region Assistant Commissioner Cindy Millen and entertainment by Wimmera musicians Adam Roche and Mark Block,” she said.

“We also have our popular ‘Bubbles for Bling’ champagne raffle and a new ‘Whisky Experience’. It’s set to be a great night and with the community’s support this event will help us in our quest to raise the final $20,000.”

The Weekly Advertiser and radio stations 3WM and MIXX FM are major sponsors of Blue Ribbon Foundation Horsham Branch.

The entire October 16, 2019 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!