AN IMPRESSIVE total of more than $61,300 was raised by Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association (ALPA) for the Royal Flying Doctor Service during the past 12 months.
Each year ALPA selects a different charity to support during its charity auctions and other fundraising activities.
At each gala dinner for state and national young auctioneers competitions, a charity auction is held.
Numerous donated items, from sporting tickets, art, leather goods and accommodation vouchers to handmade leather handbags, have attracted spirited bidding during these entertaining auctions.
This year's fundraising was a record total for ALPA and a reflection of the generosity of agents and the affiliation members have with the RFDS.
It's also a heartwarming notion that even during one of the worst droughts in living memory across the eastern states, ALPA members have been willing to put forward charity funds to a worthy cause.
Using the latest in aviation, medical and communications technology, the RFDS works to provide emergency medical and primary health care services to anybody who lives, works or travels in rural and remote Australia.
This service is made possible, in a large part, due to the donation of funds from the community.
While many people think of the RFDS as being there in an emergency, its work extends much further.
Donations also fund essential health services such as preventative health programs in remote communities; better access to specialist health professionals for extremely remote locations; improved access to health information and resources for patients and health professionals, and the delivery of culturally appropriate health services.
For 2020, the ALPA board has selected the brain cancer research charity, Aaron's Wish, as its designated charity.
Aaron's Wish was established by the Iori family in 2013, in memory of their son Aaron, who lost his brave battle with brain cancer earlier that year, and in the memory of many others who have been touched by brain cancer.
Aaron Iori was a familiar face to many agents, having worked for the National Livestock Reporting Service and later Meat and Livestock Australia.
He also attended many Young Auctioneers Competition dinners and counted many ALPA members as close friends.
It was Aaron's wish that awareness be raised of the devastation of a brain cancer diagnosis and the desperate need for more funding for critical brain cancer research.
Brain cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in children under 10 and young people under 39. Each year 1600 patients are diagnosed and 1200 will die.
All funds raised by Aaron's Wish are donated to the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation research in the hope of finding better treatments and, one day, a cure.
