Elsie Lange
For over 25 years, the Riddells Creek Fire Brigade has been raising funds for Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) through the Good Friday Appeal.
This year, on April 15, they’ll be shaking tins at the Riddells Creek Nursery.
Area manager Gill Metz, who was recently awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal, said they’d been involved for so long because members had experienced the incredible care provided by the RCH.
“We’ve got two [members] at the moment whose grandchildren are very much reliant on the RCH, it’s been something that’s been close to the families within the Riddells Creek Fire Brigade,” Ms Metz said.
Her own granddaughter had been in and out of the RCH for some time, and she described the specialist care as “phenomenal”.
Just since 2010, the fire brigade has raised $44,000 for the appeal.
“I think it’s because we are very much involved in our community,” Ms Metz said.
“All of us are family members, whether we’re aunts, uncles, mums, dads, grandmas, grandads, so just about everyone can relate a story to a child that has benefited from the RCH,” Ms Metz said.
She said collections would also happen at the Riddells Creek football oval and if people don’t have cash, there will be QR codes available to make a donation.