A $100,000 cheque has been presented to the Sydney Children’s Hospital by a South Coast not-for-profit.
Tomakin Second-hand store, Rally for Recovery, that’s entirely run by volunteers has presented the cheque to the hospital for childhood cancer research.
President Ray Dickinson, told East Coast Radio it’s just what he and his team of 40-50 volunteers do.
“None of us gets paid but it’s just a joy to help some of these people that come in because some people are quite desperate to get household items but at the same time it gives us joy to hand over money to the children’s hospital,” Mr Dickinson said.
They have donated almost $3 million to the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation since they began in 2001.
“We basically collect household items from donors and then on-sell them,” he explained.
“We’re not a charity as such, we’re more of a fundraiser for the Sydney Children’s Hospital for childhood cancer research but we also have donated to the Moruya Hospital, especially when they need new equipment.”
“We’ve also looked after a lot of bushfire victims, homeless people and victims of domestic violence on the South Coast.”
The organisation is run entirely by volunteers who operate the shed in Tomakin on Wednesday and Saturday mornings and spend the rest of the week catching up on deliveries.
“It’s a three-way thing, not a two-way thing, our volunteers get a joy out of seeing how we help people, the customers that come in that buy the items, they’re overjoyed because of the prices, then you’ve got to hospital receiving these well needed funds to help with cancer research,” Mr Dickinson said.
“It’s something that all of the volunteers are just so happy to give their time twice a week to man the cash registers and what have you.”
Mr Dickinson said there was happiness all round when the Rally for Recovery team donated $100,000 to the Sydney Children’s Hospital.
“Representatives from the hospital come down and the joy their faces is unbelievable to see that because it all goes to childhood cancer research nothing more.”
You can find out more about the Rally for Recovery at their Facebook page.
Images: Rally for Recovery
