Media Release – Wednesday 18 June 2014
As part of this year’s tenth birthday celebrations, the Capital Region Farmers Market has just announced a very generous donation of $50,000 to the Snowy Hydro SouthCare Rescue Helicopter Service.
“Snowy Hydro SouthCare is a fabulous community service organisation, and we are delighted to be providing a substantial donation to assist with its services,” said Tony Howard, spokesperson for the Capital Region Farmers Market.
Tony is also a member of the Rotary Club of Hall which runs the Farmers Market each week. All profits from the Market stallholder fees are fed back into community, international and youth projects, regional communities and other projects chosen by the Club.
“The Rotary Club of Hall is all about assisting with what’s best for the community and we were hard pressed to find a more worthy cause than saving lives, which is what Snowy Hydro SouthCare does so well.
“And as the primary provider of aero-medical and helicopter services to people in the ACT and South-Eastern NSW, many of the Capital Region Farmers Market’s own stallholders and customers have been positively impacted by the work that they do,” Tony continued.
One of the Market’s regular stallholders, Paul Gatenby of Tall Paul’s Oysters from the Clyde River at Batemans Bay, has been personally impacted. His son Mitchell required the services after a serious car accident in December 2012. Mitchell was trapped in his car for over an hour and was airlifted to The Canberra Hospital where he went straight into surgery.
Mitchell’s injuries were extensive but he is alive and well today, and Paul believes Mitchell would not have survived had it not been for the Snowy Hydro SouthCare team. Paul says he is “over the moon” that the Capital Region Farmers Market is making such a kind donation to Snowy Hydro SouthCare.
“We know first-hand that the services provided by the Snowy Hydro SouthCare Rescue Helicopter truly have the potential to affect many people’s lives at some stage,” Tony concluded.
All visitors to the Capital Region Farmers Market will be able to see the Snowy Hydro SouthCare Rescue Helicopter up close as it’s been invited to fly in to the Market to raise awareness of the service and support from Rotary Clubs across the region. The ‘fly-in’ will take place on Saturday 5 July at 9am, Exhibition Park in Canberra (mission pending).
For more information on the Capital Region Farmers Market visit www.capitalregionfarmersmarket.com.au
