May 22, 2013
A group of 40 fire fighters who left Brisbane last Wednesday to complete a gruelling seven-day, 850km bike ride to raise funds for burns research enjoyed a pleasant surprise when they pulled into Wondai on Sunday afternoon.
Waiting there to meet them was Wondai Auxiliary Fire Brigade captain Cookie Jeffery and former captain Ashley Newson, along with a $1500 cheque.
Every May since 2009 the Wondai Auxiliary Fire Brigade has been holding a Charity Golf Day at the Wondai Country Club to raise funds for the Royal Children’s Hospital’s Burns Unit and the AGL Action Rescue Helicopter.
This year’s effort raised $2500 – $1000 for the helicopter service and the other $1500 for the burns unit.
Normally the Brigade simply forwards the proceeds from the Charity Golf Day to the Burns Unit but this year they thought it would be even better to present the cheque in person, since the Bikes 4 Burns cycle ride was passing through the South Burnett for the very first time.
The cyclists were close to the end of the fifth day of their marathon ride when they pulled into Wondai for a rest stop at 2:30pm on Sunday.
After leaving Brisbane they’d cycled to Caloundra, then Gympie, Maryborough and Gayndah, where they’d left early on Sunday morning for the long ride south.
After resting briefly at Wondai, the group planned to overnight in Kingaroy before pressing on to Woodford on Monday, and then back to the Royal Children’s Hospital on Tuesday.
Karen Perry, the secretary-treasurer of the Bike 4 Burns committee which organises the ride along different routes each year, said the annual event has helped raise more than $300,000 for the Burns Unit.
The Burns Unit is supported by Queensland Fire and Rescue Service personnel all over the state, and all riders in Bikes 4 Burns do so in their own time.
Speaking on behalf of Bikes 4 Burns and the Royal Children’s Hospital, Karen expressed her thanks to local firies and everyone who’d come along to support Wondai’s Charity Golf Day.
“You guys are really fantastic!” she said.
