23 August, 2023
Rallying for a cause
Rally for a Cause’s Dunga Derby stopped at the Jondaryan Woolshed on Saturday night, raising thousands of dollars for an Oakey nurse who’s had a terminal diagnosis.
Local nurse Gail had to pull out on the day due to poor health, and was instead represented by two friends, who accepted the $16,000 donation on her behalf.
The money was raised in half-an-hour on the night by drivers in the Derby, who camped overnight before leaving for home the next day.
Rally for a Cause started the first Dunga Derby in Hervey Bay on the Fraser Coast in 2015, but the charity has since started a second rally on the Sunshine Coast.
The event started when local business owners in the region were shocked to discover that a child, Cooper, of one of their friends had been diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour.
These business owners then heard about a young girl called Jesse with a passion for dance who was hit with a diagnosis of bone cancer.
They started the Rally for a Cause, a charity which aims to raise funds for local families in need as they go through tough times.
The Sunshine Coast Dunga Derby starts and finishes in the same location, travelling in a loop to Northern New South Wales and back over a period of four days.
Rally for a Cause Sunshine Coast Admin and Events Officer Fiona Martin explained that 34 teams travel the course, which is unknown to them at the start of each day, in old cars, accompanied by mechanics and a spares vehicle.
Dunga cars should be purchased for under $2,000 and need to be more than 10 years old.
“We have a courtesy car for people whose cars have died on them,” she said.
“We also have a road cup divided into teams with five colours - we call it the Wiggle Cup.”
The Dunga Derby has been able to provide families with the means to travel to Brisbane for treatment.
Rally for a Cause Operations Manager Jessica Lane said the charity aimed to leave a mark on all the towns in which the Derby stops along the route.
“We make sure to call emergency services in the region, to check if there are any people who might need help,” she said.
“Our criteria for recipients are individuals who have been affected by life-limiting illnesses and/or whose lives have been debilitated by circumstances beyond their control.
“We called the Oakey Hospital, and they mentioned that one of their nurses, Gail, had a life-limiting illness.
“We like to give back to the small towns we pass through on the Dunga Derby, and this is our way of doing it.“
So far, the charity has raised over $2.4 million for people in need.
