It’s only two days until Lakes Entrance Fire Brigade and the Toorloo Arm Fire Brigade will be out on the streets of Lakes Entrance and Lake Tyers Beach to receive donations for the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Good Friday Appeal.
Along with the fire trucks, buses which are loaned to the brigade from Gippsland Lakes Complete Health will be out and about.
If you hear the sirens in your neighbourhood head out and give generously.
A map of the routes of the vehicles will be up on the Lakes Entrance Fire Brigade facebook page.
One of the coordinators of the event, John Upton, is encouraging anyone who has some spare time to help to come down to the Lakes Entrance Fire Brigade before 8.30am on Friday and they will be welcomed with open arms.
“Volunteers of all ages are wanted to man the trucks and buses and shake the donation tins,” he said.
“My daughter Lesley has contacted schools to get helpers and hopes this will bring in more volunteers.
“If a child is under 10 years of age they will need to be accompanied by an adult. Lunch will be provided for all volunteers after the collection is complete.”
Apart from the tin rattlers there will be raffle stations outside IGA, in the arcades near Big Bears Donuts and Lakes Entrance Newsagency on the day, plus one at the fire station.
Lakes Entrance and Toorloo Brigades have combined to put together 119 prizes for the raffles in the evening at the Bowls Club, Lakes Sports and Community Club, Kalimna Hotel, Central Hotel, Waterwheel Tavern and the RSL on Friday night.
The Servo will hold two raffles, one at 2pm and one at 6pm.
There will be eight to 10 raffle prizes per venue.
“It has been tougher this year to get the prizes together with rising prices and businesses in tough times,” Toorloo Arm CFA’s fund organiser Avis Salisbury said.
“We are so grateful that we have 21 volunteers out collecting for the RCH around our area this year, which is a credit to such a small community,” she said.
The two brigades have been working together for a number of years now, with all donations taken to Lakes Entrance Fire Brigade for counting and forwarded to the RCH Appeal.
A thank you reception was held in Lakes Entrance by the RCH Appeal Executives last year to acknowledge all local brigades and organisations for their support over many years, with the RCH Executive Director of the Good Friday Appeal Rebecca Cowen stating that The Royal Children’s Hospital is in the top five of the best in the world and there are 28 projects being directly funded with monies from the Good Friday Appeal.
“The hospital will always be there for complex cases, but with regional funding, we are helping ensure that more children can access the care they need closer to home,” Ms Cowen said.
“Gippsland received $600,000 of the $3 million allocated for regional Victorian Health Services.
“Bairnsdale Hospital is using their share to upgrade the maternity unit, replacing outdated equipment and for education as well.”
Regional Fundraising Manager Pooja Ingle said she had witnessed such generosity from the regional areas.
“They are always so creative and have fun ways to raise funds, they are fuelled by a deep sense of community spirit,” she said.
“In the 2025 RCH Appeal Lakes Entrance/Lake Tyers Beach raised $38,502.22
and have overall raised an incredible $91,762 for the hospital. I think they may be the raffle capital.”
