Latrobe Smart Centre exceeded its target to raise $1000 funds to assist locals battling cancer in a charity fun run around the Morwell Civic Gardens on the weekend.
Fun run organiser and Latrobe Smart Centre team leader Stacey Wilson said this was its first fun run organised, and despite the cold weather, attracted around 100 participants and raised $1400 for Cancer Council Relay for Life Latrobe.
“We work in a centre with more than 320 people; if you haven’t been personally affected by cancer, you will know someone who is,” Ms Wilson said.
“The money will go towards Cancer Council and the cancer ward in (Latrobe Regional Hospital); we want to help out the local community.”
Ms Wilson said she hoped Latrobe could be one of the highest fundraisers for the Gippsland area.
“The Relay for Life Latrobe will be held in the last weekend of October; we have pledged to raise $30,000 by then,” she said.
Despite having only two weeks’ worth of planning and the cold weather, Ms Wilson said the day’s events went “very, very well”.
“It was our first ever fun run and the first time we had organised a public event for the community; it was muddy in some parts but everyone enjoyed the day,” she said.
“We hope to make this an annual event.
“We’ll look at making it bigger and better, and give more time to organise it…hopefully we will double the number of participants and increase the amount of funds raised next year.”
