Nearly $50,000 has now been raised for the Gippsland based Helimed Ambulance Auxiliary, following another successful wool auction and raffle in Melbourne.
Modiano and Techwool paid $10,722 for the two bales and Elders Malcolm Nicolls said raffles on the day pushed the overall fundraising total to nearly $11,500.
“It’s a great result, it was a really successful day, with the top bale making 3550c/kg and the second bale making 2600c/kg,” Mr Nicolls said.
The annual auction and raffles had now raised close to $48,000, in the four years, they had been running.
The Helimed Ambulance Auxilliary helps raise funds for the Ambulance Victoria helicopter service.
“One of the main things we have done, since supporting the auxiliary, is assisting to put ultrasound equipment into the helicopters,
“The helicopters also now carry blood, which they didn’t before we started raising money for the auxiliary.”
Mr Nicolls said the next project could involve installing fridges, to hold plasma.
He praised the wool buyers, in particular, Modiano, for supporting the project.
“The real value of the wool being donated is about 50 per cent of what is raised, at auction. The buyers have been extremely generous in their support, which has allowed us to double the value of the wool, each year,” Mr Nicholls said.
Some of the east Gippsland woolgrowers, who donated 82 fleeces for this year’s auction, came to Melbourne on a chartered bus for the annual event.
Mr Nicholls said the number of donated fleeces had climbed from 16, the first year the auction was held.
He said there was strong support for the auction “because of the number of people in our community who had to make use of the helicopter, at times when they had no other option.
“A couple of years ago, of the 32 or 33 people on the bus, 23 had direct family members who were helped by the service,” he said.
“It’s the right cause in the right area, and it works a treat.”
Modiano Australia Victorian wool manager Lou Morsch said the company had bought all, or some of the wool, at each of the auctions.
‘The Modianos are a very generous family, and they generally support such worthy causes,” Mr Morsch said.
“They are quite happy to support charities and services that benefit the community or industry.
“Modiano is a family organisation. If they can help, it's one way, in which they can do so.”
He said there were no special plans for the wool, but it was likely to be used in top-making.