By Jessica Micallef
The Piggy Bank Appeal is hoping to bring home the bacon.
A giant piggy bank, stretching to three metres in height and weighing 700 kilograms rolled its way to Kyneton’s Commonwealth Bank last week to raise $1 million for children with life-threatening conditions.
Very Special Kids chief executive Michael Wasley said the annual appeal was a great way to support local families.
“It’s a 21-year campaign that is basically an awareness and fundraising drive for the organsiation,” he said.
“We are close to over 80 per cent self funded which is quite unique.
“It has its pressure but it also makes us think about ways to give back to the community with a very important purpose.”
Mr Wasley said the while the locations the piggy bank stops have changed over the years, the message behind the event has stayed the same. “The underlying concept hasn’t changed much at all. The children aspect has been a big part of our design of the campaign. We’ve all grown up with piggy banks and pocket money.
“The money goes towards supporting our children for respite in our hospice and also supporting the family.
“We focus largely on helping the whole family, including helping the child cope [and] maximise the time they have together and hopefully that’s a very long time.”
