The Central Gippsland Health (CGH) 2018 Charity Bike Ride has been postponed, but organisers warn it’s no reason to get off your bike.
In fact, the CGH Bike Ride Committee sees the event’s cancellation this year as an invaluable opportunity to grow the ride and they need all the help they can get.
This was to be the 25th year of the CGH Charity Bike Ride that CGH Chief Executive Officer, Dr Frank Evans, said was cancelled due to circumstances beyond their control.
“But, when one door closes, another opens and CGH has a vision for a rejuvenated bike ride event in 2019 that will showcase the best of what Wellington Shire has to offer while still raising much needed funds for CGH,” he explained.
The first step in organising the 2019 event is to form a new committee as the revised multi-disciplinary event concept will require organisers and volunteers for various aspects of the new structure.
However, Mr Evans believes the momentum is there to evolve what was “a great event into an even greater one”.
“All of the money raised from last year’s ride will go towards the purchase of a resuscitation bed for the hospital nursery. Over $150,000 has been raised by this charity ride over 24 years. It’s a long standing tradition that we need to continue.”
On behalf of CGH, Dr Evans has committed to continued, dedicated financial assistance in organising a future event, including staff support.
“CGH and the Sale Hospital are as successful as they are because of the generosity of the people they serve,” Dr Evans said. “The Charity Bike Ride has always been one of our biggest fundraisers and from the success of last year’s event and with CGH meeting any financial shortfall, we can purchase a resuscitation bed for the nursery.”
The bike ride would not have been possible without the foresight of Mary and Les Jackson and community support group, the Lamplighters.
Mary and Les took their first ride in the early 1990s in the Murray to Moyne – a long running fundraising event from the Murray River to Moyne on the south west coast of Victoria. As she crossed the finish line, Mary knew she had to do something similar that would raise funds for her local hospital.
“For an important community event to stop running simply because there are no volunteers to run it would be devastating,” Dr Evans concluded. “But that’s the reality. We need community members to get behind us, CGH and this charitable event to not only raise much needed funds for our hospital but the new concept will shine the spotlight on local businesses and the wonderful area in which we live.”
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