For a small community group the Devenish-Dookie and District Good Friday Committee sure knows how to bat well above its weight.
Committee president Paul Durden said the group was on track to equal last year’s impressive $100,000 fundraising effort, which placed it among the the top five regional contributors to the 2022 Royal Children’s Hospital appeal.
A big part of the funds came from an online auction held from March 21 to 28, which raised $43,045.
“It’s our best ever (auction) result,” Mr Durden said.
“It’s an amazing figure.”
In what’s turned out to be a silver lining after the event was forced to go online during COVID-19, the auction is now available to more people, which has helped boost funds.
“We used to maybe get about 80 people, but now we’ve moved online, we’ve gone broader — this year we had 410 registered buyers,” Mr Durden said.
He said he could not thank the businesses, individuals and organisations that contributed to the auction and the committee’s various fundraising efforts throughout the year enough.
“A small community group like us could not achieve what we do without their support — it’s just phenomenal.”
The fundraising juggernaut has held numerous events throughout the year, including livestock sales and barefoot bowls, and the 2023 effort culminates in the ever-popular show ‘n’ shine at Dookie on Good Friday, April 7.
The event will be held in the town’s main street, with vehicle registrations from 8am, viewing from 9am and presentations at noon.
There will be food, raffles, live music and plenty of other fun activities, with festivities kicking on after the show at the Gladstone Hotel.
For more information, check out the committee’s Facebook page.