Mid-Coast Community backs CareFlight – Saturday 31 January to Sunday 1 February, 2009

The Mid-Coast community has raised more than $50,000 to support NRMA CareFlight.

Nineteen IGA stores from Bulahdelah to Coffs Harbour, their customers, sponsors and suppliers teamed in organising the fundraising which culminated in a dinner and golf day at Wauchope.

Each store conducted a raffle for a CareFlight Bear and staged a series of events including trivia nights and fashion parades.

The funds will support the state-wide medical retrieval service which NRMA CareFlight operates in partnership with the NSW Ambulance Service from bases in Sydney and at Orange.

Regional IAG manager David Price said the support also would be applied to the trauma medicine research and education programs which CareFlight uses to train doctors at its bases in Sydney, Darwin and Perth.

Mr Price said strong community participation allowed a course capacity field of 150 players to contest the golf day at Wauchope Country Club on Sunday, following a dinner-auction at Wauchope RSL Club on Saturday night.

The dinner band, GCS3, which comprised hospital staff, not only helped rock dinner, but also set the right clinical note.

NRMA CareFlight founding director Ian Badham thanked the Mid-Coast community for their understanding of the medical services which the charity delivers state-wide and to the regional community using helicopter and fixed wing aircraft provided by the NSW Ambulance Service.

“The continued relationship between IGA and CareFlight is vital to the future provision of medical services and to the research and education services which underpin the clinical delivery,” Mr Badham said.

“Already planning is underway for next year which will continue this strong community engagement.”

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