Relay for Life began in Australia in 1999 when the Victorian community of Murrumbeena raised over $75,000 for Cancer Council. Relays are now held in every Australian State and Territory, with more than 134,000 participants raising over $24 million each year. Every dollar raised goes towards funding Cancer Council’s vital research, prevention and support programs, many of which help people in our community each day.

They are not a cancer type-specific organisation. Instead they work across all cancers that affect all people, including rare and under-researched cancers. Through funds raised at Relay for Life, more than 61,000 Australian lives have been saved over the last 20 years.

Setting up to serve the carers and survivors

RRT offered our support to the Castlemaine RFL committee early on to help with setting up the venue on the Friday and packing up the venue on the Saturday. With only 2 or so weeks to go, a Castlemaine RFL committee member called late on a Sunday afternoon to ask if we would have the resources to offer freshly ground coffee and hot drinks for the duration of the event. They had a vender pull out of the event that normally offers this service.

Setting up on Friday morning The rush is over and the participants are getting ready to walk through the night

We sent out an invitation to our RRT volunteers, and within a few days had 4 teams on board willing to go through the night and support RFL participants. The RRT volunteers served 180 coffees and 110 hot chocolates. Most of the hot chocolates were made during the night, resulting in an emergency run to the supermarket as soon as it opened at 7am.

More happy customers

The gold coin donations for the hot drinks served, raised over $800 towards RFL. The Castlemaine RFL event raised in excess of $26,000. It was amazing to see RFL participants turn up at any time of the night and start walking to support other RFL participants that had been walking through the night.

Hope candles late at night

It was great to support Castlemaine RFL and to experience the energy and eagerness of the participants, young and old. We look forward to supporting this event again.

Five-man power bicycle

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