The Royal Flying Doctor Service in WA (RFDSWA) smashed targets in their annual fundraising drive on Tuesday May 17, and the Military Brotherhood MMC Perth South Subbranch, along with the Western Grunts and Patriots Australia got in early, raising nearly $3500.
Royal Flying Doctor Day is the aeromedical service’s chief fundraising event and drives support for more than 9000 yearly retrieval operations with their fleet of 18 aircraft.
RFDSWA Head of Community Rebecca Maddern said this year’s drive was enormously successful, and the contribution of smaller organisations was “unbelievable.”
“It looks like we’ve raised just over $750,000 so we’re just absolutely blown away, our original target was $600,000, we’re very humbled and delighted,” Ms Maddern said.
“The final tally is pretty amazing, it looks like we will have raised enough money to equip five of our aircraft with new equipment including defibrillators, ventilators and portable ultrasound.
“The great thing about the RDFRS is we have supporters from all walks of life, but it really is those grassroots groups and often the smaller groups that are so unbelievable in their fundraising ability, that contribute so much to our fundraising tally.”
One of those grassroots groups is the Military Brotherhood MMC Perth South Subbranch who operate out of the Armadale RSL.
President and Army veteran Jonno said he and many members of the club have relied on the airborne medical service, and they hoped to make the fundraiser an annual event.
“In different circumstances we’ve had to rely on the RFDSWA, especially being FIFO workers,” Jonno said.
“It’s a good cause, they’re there to help not only us but also anyone who’s out in remote areas.”
It’s not the only good cause the Military Brotherhood MMC have helped to support, with regular Pink Ribbon rides, annual Legacy rides (they raised $14,000 last year) and club efforts to support their mostly veteran membership, as well as non-members of the club.
“We are a club of ex-veterans; Army, Navy, Airforce, it’s a tri-service,” Jonno said.
“We do a lot of fundraising to help veterans directly, because of the red tape that a lot of people go through when there’s hard times as a veteran.
“We found one of the guys that was homeless, living in a tent in the back of Armadale, and now he’s on a FIFO job, gone from being homeless to now having a job, flying back and forth and seeing his kids.
“We’ve helped a fair few older veterans with renovations on their house, like painting a patio roof, or relocation, or we helped them put the money together for a bond so they could get into accommodation.
“If we hear there’s a veteran in a hospital we will go and do a visit, surprise them and say there’s people out there who want to support them.
“When veterans get out of the service it’s very hard for them to adapt back, and what they do is they get that banter and that comradery, this is what the club is about, so they have something to be a part of.”
Rebecca Maddern said it was a privilege to work with organisations like the Military Brotherhood MMC.
“That’s the great privilege of being in the fundraising team is we mean so much to different people in the community,” Ms Maddern said.
