Can Assist Gunnedah volunteers have expressed gratitude after receiving multiple donations recently.

The charity aims to ease the burden of cancer affected country people. This may be through assisting in expenses, providing practical support or raising awareness of inequalities faced by country patients. The money raised also stays local.

The Gunnedah Times was invited to two donation announcements last week.

Club Gunnedah supplied $5000 to Can Assist Gunnedah through its grant funding.

This will once again go toward cinema advertising at The Civic.

Secretary Linda Lee said the charity does not use fundraised money for movie advertising so it made a request to the club for funds specifically for raising awareness.

“It helps us to continue that as well as assisting people affected by cancer,” Linda said.

She said the charity was continually encouraged by the club to apply for funding, regardless of how much was already given.

This was on top of additional in-kind donations of room bookings for meetings and other items requested.

Club manager Marc Eisenhauer estimated more than $150,000 a year goes to local charities and organisations.

Can Assist Gunnedah secretary Linda Lee, Club Gunnedah’s Tammey McAllan, Marc Eisenhauer and Gunnedah Can Assist president Kate Knight.

The Forsyths Foundation allows team members to donate money from their salary which is matched by the firm.

Megan Ellbourn said the team at Gunnedah Forsyths picked Can Assist Gunnedah to acknowledge its local community work.

“The team recognises the unfortunate

reality that we will all likely be burdened by cancer, by either ourselves or a loved one,” she said.

“The work that Can Assist does can’t be taken for granted.”

Linda said this was not the first time the foundation had reached out.

“We truly appreciate their generosity and continued support,” she said.

“Just a big thank you.”

For recipients this could mean fuel, repairs, tyres for their vehicles or even a utility bill paid and more.

“Taking that little bit of a burden off them financially,” Linda said.

She acknowledged money doesn’t stretch as far with the rising cost of living – another burden for especially cancer affected families.

The branch helps with a number of items which are confidential and only a few volunteers know about.

“It’s so beautiful to see that look of thank you on [a recipient’s] face and we get quite emotional,” Linda said.

The charity also received a donation from the She Sings event, hosted by Lucy Ravenwood.