Lighting the tealights for the Relay For Life Candlelight Ceremony held at dusk on Saturday
October 13, 2014
All the planning, all the fundraisers, all the sore feet were worth it at the weekend with the news that $105,154 has been raised by the 2014 South Burnett Relay For Life … with even more dollars expected to roll in over the next few weeks.
Co-ordinator Rowena Dionysius announced the figure at the official closing ceremony for the 2014 Relay at Kingaroy Showground on Sunday morning.
“It’s a phenomenal amount again this year,” she said. “That is incredible, well done!”
Relay Patron Carl Rackemann said this was the third time the South Burnett Relay had raised more than $100,000.
“Every cent is precious,” he said.
The Relay For Life is the major fundraiser locally for the Cancer Council of Queensland.
More than $40,000 from the total was raised at the Dinner With The Captains earlier this year, with the rest coming in from multiple fundraisers by various groups, including local businesses, schools and families.
Forty-three teams took park in the Relay this year – more than last year – walking circuit after circuit of the speedway track at the showground.
The Relay kicked off at 3:00pm on Saturday afternoon with the traditional Survivors’ and Carers’ Walk, paused briefly at dusk for a Candlelight Ceremony of remembrance, and then continued uninterrupted until 9:00am on Sunday.
The walkers were kept entertained with music and games all night, and Rotary supplied hot food.
Rowena Dionysius thanked the sponsors of the 2014 Relay: Kingaroy Rotary, Crumptons, Mondee Coffee, Harvey Norman, the South Burnett Times, Swickers, the South Burnett Show Society and Relay Patron Carl Rackemann.
UPDATE December 15: Organisers have confirmed that the fundraising total for the 2014 Relay has passed $120,000.
Team members carried paper lanterns around the track in a silent tribute to lost relatives and friends during the Candlelight CeremonyLynda and Darren Geiger, from Kingaroy, were part of “Geiger’s Gang”
Lynda and Darren Geiger led the Survivors’ Walk at the start of the Relay
2014 Face of the Relay Roger Seccombe read a poem he wrote at 2011 at the Relay launch
And they’re off … the Survivors’ and Carers’ Walk officially launched the 2014 Relay Members of the the Birds Of A Feather team in the Survivors’ Walk The South Burnett Instrumental Music Team
Megan Cridland, Nanango, and Helen Bailey, Alstonville, were in “Betty Rubble’s Besties”
Birds of a Feather mascot “Ernie the Fireman” with Wendy McGrath
Relay organiser Rowena Dionysius with Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington
Rowena with South Burnett mayor Wayne Kratzmann and Melissa White
Birds Of A Feather were one of the largest teams135 Australian Cadet Unit also entered a team of walkers“Cirque du Relay” from Kingaroy State High School … from left, Daniel Weldon, Evan Magin, Samuel Cooper, Eloise Mashford, Hannah Butcher and Lisa StephensSandy Freeman, who died in 2008, was remembered by “Sandys’ Heroes” … a large team made up of members of the Freeman and Woods families It’s over! Relay walkers celebrate the end of the 2014 effort on Sunday morningNick Freeman, second from left, presented the Sandy Freeman Memorial Shield to ‘Birds Of A Feather” who were the highest fund-raising team
Sophie Stone collected the Hope Shield for the highest fundraising school team on behalf of the Nanango SHS Year 10
Craig Yarrow and Carolyn Knudsen from the South Burnett Regional Council team which won the “most original fundraising” award
“Sandy’s Heroes” were congratulated for having the “best baton”
