We only have to witness the trials and tribulations leading up to the belated 2020 Olympics in Tokyo to realise that even a big budget and teams of people cannot guarantee a successful event in these challenging times.
But that didn’t deter the kind-hearted ‘good sports’ that surround Kyneton’s not-for-profit, community-owned aged care facility RM Begg.
Months in the planning, volunteer Angela White together with RM Begg’s project coordinator Sarah Collier set a fundraising target of $15,000 to go towards the $35,000 needed to build new pergolas for their residents.
With the generosity of local individuals and businesses who donated services, items and their time, a luxury raffle and goods and services auction was organised to culminate in a wonderful ‘Feel Good’ evening to be hosted by Little Swallow Café on Kyneton’s Piper Street.
Then, Lockdown 5.0 descended and was promptly extended.
But Ms White and Ms Collier’s contingency plan meant the raffle and auction could be held online and despite snap restrictions being thrust upon them, Daniel Richards and Ed Pursey, co-owners of Little Swallow Café, juggled their food supplies and staffing roster to host an impromptu ‘Charity Fundraiser Pivot Event’ with a 100 per cent of takings to be donated to RM Begg.
“Testament to our amazing community everyone rallied and we’re absolutely thrilled to report that together we raised an incredible $27,002!” Ms White said.
The online ‘Feel Good’ auction had an exciting finish with many bids competing down to the wire. A Daniel Butterworth painting, titled Carers, which depicts four of RM Begg’s staff, raised an incredible $3000.
“We were humbled to learn that the winning bidders were Little Swallow Café who had already done so much,” Ms White said.
But that wasn’t the end of the heart-warming story.
“As you can imagine, we were filled with gratitude when Little Swallow Café donated the painting back to RM Begg!”
When asked about their extraordinary generosity amid such tough times for the hospitality industry, Mr Richards said the nurses on the frontline were the heroes of this pandemic.
“To follow the insurmountable protocols that must be inflicted upon them to keep the residents safe, is beyond me,” he said.
“To be so diligent and so protective of their residents that nothing entered their establishment needs to be commended.
“That is why I am donating this painting back to RM Begg, and the fact that it is a painting of four of their workers, I think it’s important that it stays at RM Begg.
“Even though it’s a mark on history that we will probably want to forget, I hope that those frontline workers see it as a sense of pride in their achievement to protect those in their care.
“From Little Swallow Cafe, our staff and customers, we salute the work that you do.”
Ms Collier said all at RM Begg were truly grateful and a little overwhelmed by Little Swallow Café’s generosity.
“It’s times like this that we are proud and thankful to be a community-owned organisation in deed as well as in name. And a special thank you to Angela for her untiring and much-appreciated volunteer efforts. She deserves a gold medal!”
If you’d like to be part of RM Begg’s ongoing fundraising drive, you can register your interest and availability via email: admin@raymbegg.org.au or phone: (03) 5421 3600. Donations can be made via their website: www.raymbegg.org.au/donate
