You can never be too young to have an impact. Just ask Gunbower kids Miley Pollock, 8, and Frankie Keetelaar, 7.
The two mates decided to get their heads together and organise a fundraiser for the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Good Friday Appeal, which resulted in the Gunbower area raising $2670.
The mates organised a stall out the front of the Gunbower Butter Factory on Good Friday, which soon morphed into stalls selling lollies, jams, home-baked goods, herb bunches, cold drinks, coffees and multiple raffle draws.
Community support came from Gunbower Workshop Cafe, Gunbower Hair & Beauty, Terri Hare Beauty Therapy Cohuna, Gunbower Roadhouse, The Good Meat Co. Leitchville, Gunbower Family Hotel, Gunpork and Ridley’s.
Sue McGillivray donated a fully stocked coffee van.
For Miley, the fundraiser had been 12 months in the making when she first had an idea to sell some ‘Candy for a Cause’.
With the help of mum Katie (who supplied the financial backing to buy the lollies), Miley got to work and bagged up her lollies and away she went.
“I always wanted to help the Royal Children’s Hospital and I came up with the name all by myself,” Miley said.
Miley also hosted an online fundraiser with an original target of raising $100.
In the end mum Katie said she ended up bypassing her target and hitting $400.
“I am extremely proud of Miley and the kids, it was such a great morning and they all did really well,” Katie said.
Katie said she was unsure where Miley’s desire to support the RCH comes from but she thinks it began with some allergy testing.
“Miley attends the RCH every few years for allergy testing and I think this is where the idea to fundraise has come from.
“She said to me one day she hates her allergies, but once I told her about how sick some of the other kids at the hospital really are, she is grateful to only have allergies and has become very compassionate toward the RCH, the staff and the patients,” Katie said.
Frankie said the day was heaps of good fun.
“I got up early to help mum get everything ready and it has been so good,” Frankie said.
Frankie’s mum Letitia said she was blown away by the community support and the initiative of the kids.
“When Frankie heard Miley talking about her idea she was keen to get on board and help her. They are great little mates and it was really good to see the morning unfold.
“The Gunbower community is always great at supporting events and this little fundraiser was no exception,” Letitia said.