CAPALABA Bowls Club members have proven they have a heart of gold, raising $75,000 in the past five years all in the name of finding a cure for cancer.
Last month, the club invited the local community for a game of barefoot bowls, a vintage car show display and a barbecue lunch for their annual Cancer Charity Day, known as the Denis Memorial Day.
This year’s event was dedicated to the late Denis Brown who donated his money and time to help the club with donations and printing flyers and food labels.
Profit from the cake stall, meat and seafood tray raffles and an auction also went towards raising about $20,800 this year to go towards QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Breast Cancer Network Australia and Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
Men’s club president Wally Jacobsen credits organiser Bob Weir for the increasing amount being raised each year for relentlessly seeking help from individuals and businesses.
“There is a lot of community support but Bob knocks on doors for donations,” he said.
“He knocked on 61 doors to get 21 yeses this year and we got a full house of 180 people who attended and great prizes to give away because of it.”
Mr Weir said the secret to their successful charity day was having a loyal and kind community that did not hesitate to donate funds, prizes, bid in the auction and attend.
“We had 74 lots in the auction with things like flower pots, golf sets, buggies and a watch worth $350 being donated,” he said.
“This year was different but last year we ran the whole thing on $300 and the rest were donations – we had a $1500 Lions games package, a skydiving experience and more.”
Reminiscing about how it all began, Mr Weir said the first year it was held was best described as “thrown together”.
“We didn’t have great knowledge of how to host it but all of a sudden we were booked out once word got out,” he said.
“It all went fairly well except for the lunch line.
“The line was going out the door so Wally jumped in his car to go to the shops and bought every single sausage he could find.”
Mr Weir said after raising $800, with the help of Carol Kennedy who would make and sell jams and pickles for the occasion he vowed the club would continue the event for as long as they could.
Jocelyn Garcia
Jocelyn is a journalist at the Redland City Bulletin, covering education issues and school stories. She was a former journalist at Beaudesert Times, reporting about crime, schools and agriculture.
Jocelyn is a journalist at the Redland City Bulletin, covering education issues and school stories. She was a former journalist at Beaudesert Times, reporting about crime, schools and agriculture.
