THERE have been some big developments for the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation Ararat Branch, receiving a donation and completing a $150,000 hospital project.
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Woolworths Ararat and Stawell supermarkets have donated more than $7000 to the foundation
The money was raised during a month long promotion at the Ararat and Stawell Woolworths in September last year, through merchandise and badge sales.
The Ararat store also held a raffle, cake stall and barbecue to coincide with Blue Ribbon Day on September 29.
Ararat Blue Ribbon branch president Terry Weeks said the foundation appreciated the support of all staff at the Ararat and Stawell Woolworths stores.
“It was great to see staff getting behind the fundraising and helping out on the day,” he said.
“This year $7,115.84 was donated back to the Ararat branch, and has been put towards our $150,000 commitment to the Jason Bond Perioperative Unit project at East Grampians Health Service, which we have just completed.
Mr Weeks said Woolworths had indicated they will get behind Blue Ribbon Day again in September.
“We look forward to working with them to raise valuable funds for East Grampians Health Service,” he said.
The Blue Ribbon Foundation Ararat Branch has now completed its $150,000 commitment to the redevelopment of the Perioperative Unit at East Grampians Health Service.
The unit has been named in memory of Jason Bond, an Ararat man and police officer in training, who sadly died as result of a motor vehicle accident in 2011.
Members of the Ararat Branch handed over their final cheque towards the Jason Bond Perioperative Unit project following this year’s ‘Gala Night of Nights’.
Mr Weeks said the branch was honoured to have contributed towards the upgrade of the health service Perioperative Unit, in memory of Jason Bond.
“When we were looking for a new project to support, the Perioperative Unit was a perfect fit with our mission of partnering with the health service to provide state-of-the-art facilities,” he said.
“It was also fitting that the project was named in honour of Jason Bond, a young Ararat man who had just embarked on his career with Victoria Police, but tragically was never able to fulfil his dream.
“The newly redeveloped Perioperative Unit will ensure that Jason’s name lives on in Ararat, and in particular, at East Grampians Health Service.”
The Perioperative Unit consists of two operating theatres, the day procedure unit, sterilising service, pre-admission department and dialysis unit.
East Grampians Health Service chief executive Nick Bush paid tribute to the dedication of the Blue Ribbon Ararat Branch.
“It is incredible that this small committee have managed to raise $150,000 in just two short years, through events such as the annual ‘Gala Night of Nights’ and Grampians ‘Ride to Remember’,” Mr Bush said.
“We are extremely grateful to the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation Ararat Branch for their support of the health service over the past 15 years, contributing in excess of $850,000 to various departments in that time.”
“Through this latest project, we are now able to conduct over 2000 elective and emergency surgical procedures, and more than 1700 dialysis treatments each year.”