The Late Mail Postie Bike Ride is currently on the road having left from Cooyal on Saturday morning en route to the Queensland border and back again on their 1750km fundraising journey to help families of sick children in isolated areas.
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From Cooyal on Saturday, the ride will travel through Gundy, Nundle, Manilla, Bingara, Garah and Mungindi before turning south to return via Moree, Burren Junction, Narrabri, Baan Baa, Mullaley, Binnaway, Mendooran and Gulgong before arriving in Mudgee this Friday (September 23).
This year their goal is to once again raise $100,000 and as of Monday afternoon $60,263.99 has been donated.
The event is in aid of Wings 4 Kidz, a free flight service for children with serious and life threatening illnesses who need to travel to the major hospitals from regional areas for treatment.
Their aim is to lessen the significant bourdon and effect of long distance travel for these children and families by providing this and keeping families together during this difficult journey.
Wings 4 Kidz CEO Brendan Crane, who is one of the riders, said that he felt fortunate to get to see the fundraising in action and travelling the kind of communities that benefit from the event.
“I get the benefit of seeing where the dollars go,” he said.
“So it’s an exciting thing for me to be there from mapping out the direction we’re going to head to be there when we’re actually spending the money on getting the sick kids to where they need to get to.
“It brings it all home to you.
“From a Sydney-sider’s point of view, your kids get sick and it’s a 15 minute drive but we’ve got families that come from places that have a 10 and a half hour train trip.
“So we’re able to help families like that and these guys are making that happen.
“100 per cent of the money raised from the Postie Bike Ride goes to our flight program, which is something that sets us apart from a lot of other charities that we don’t have admin costs because all of us work on a volunteer basis.”
He also praised the work of participants and the local support that the charity receives through the ride, and said the community has “really made it their own”.
“The work that goes into organising the event is incredible, it’s a week of fun for everybody with quite a bit of craziness behind the scenes and the money raised is fantastic,” he said.
“Everyone from Mudgee are huge supporters of Wings 4 Kidz, which is why we had the launch out at Mudgee during the Wings Wheels and Wine festival.
“They’ve taken to the cause and really made it their own.
“This year we’re on track to hopefully crack the $100,000 mark.”
To donate visit give.everydayhero.com/ au/2016