On Saturday 3 May, 360 community members from the Dubbo region and guests from as far away as Sydney came together at the Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Experience in Dubbo for the biennial Rotary Club of South Dubbo’s Black Tie Ball.
The event continued to focus on supporting the Royal Flying Doctor Service via the RFDS Dubbo Support Group (DSG), other local charities and celebrating the communities in and around Dubbo.
It was a memorable night full of community spirit, generosity, and heartfelt stories – and it raised a record-breaking $150,000 in support of the work of the Flying Doctor. An additional $54,000 was raised through an inspiring auction along with other proceeds from a raffle and silent auction drawn on the night.
For comparison, the 2023 ball raised an impressive $125,000 – making this year’s effort a new milestone and a real testament to the community’s commitment.
Two lucky raffle winners walked away with:
- A Vespa motorbike – the last of its kind in Australia, worth $13,000 and
- A $7,000 travel voucher
The President of the Dubbo Support Group, Jeanette Hamilton accepted the cheque on behalf of RFDS.
RFDS Chair Dr Saranne Cooke extended heartfelt thanks to the Rotary Club of Dubbo South and its members for their incredible generosity and ongoing support, speaking to the impact these donations will have on communities in and around Dubbo in delivering the vital healthcare services that RFDS provide.
RFDS retrieval doctor Jessica Kracht also spoke on the night sharing some emotional and meaningful stories from her experience delivering emergency retrieval services and working with patients in rural and remote areas – a reminder of why events like this matter so much.
The new addition of a multipurpose shelter for the Mobile Education Unit at the Dubbo base funded by the DSG provided a useful outdoor extension of the event space at the Visitor Experience. Once complete, it will provide even more opportunities to connect with the community and elevate our community and fundraising events.
On behalf of everyone at RFDS, a huge thank you to the Rotary Club of South Dubbo and their volunteers, our incredible community, supporters who donated auction items and raffle prizes, frontline and fundraising staff, and everyone who helped make this night such a success. It’s the care, generosity and an incredible community spirit that helps keep the Flying Doctor in the air and making a difference where it’s needed most.
