There were tears and celebration on Thursday evening as Yawarra Community School unveiled its new special needs van.
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The van, which cost almost $90,000, was donated by Clare's Angels.
Yawarra Community School also unveiled the plaque for the hydrotherapy pool, dedicated to Clare Diffey.
Clare, the daughter of Jane and Angus Diffey, died in 2014. However, her presence could be felt on Thursday as the cloth across the plaque fell off on its own just after her legacy was mentioned.
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Ms Diffey said it was a very proud moment to be able to deliver the van to Yawarra. Clare's Angels has been fundraising for it since 2017, but it was the $23,000 raised by the St John's Class of 2020 that gave the project the final push.
"It's something we always said we were going to do," Ms Diffey said.
"It now completes the school for me. It's got everything they wanted it to have and I know the school is so excited because now the kids will be able to go so many places like shopping or out to the zoo, all those fun things."
Principal Deb McCreadie said a van for the school had been wanted for a long time. Now, the school wouldn't have to rely on hiring a bus but could use their own transport that the students were familiar with.
"It's a real benefit for our school but I do see it as a benefit for the Dubbo community as well because you will see our children out and about doing things and showing what they're able to achieve," she said.
The hydrotherapy pool has been used since term four last year and Ms McCreadie said it was already having a big impact on the students.
"Some were hesitant to start off with because they didn't know it but step by step they've started to go in the pool and now you can't keep them out," she said.
Acting principal Tammy Batho said the students had responded really well to their time in the pool and they now looked forward to it. She said it was not only good for their physical needs, but also their behaviour, mood and sensory needs.
It was Ms Diffey who pushed then-Dubbo MP Troy Grant for the $9.5 million to build the special needs school and hydrotherapy pool
"Clare was my driver. She's always been my driver. Right from when she was diagnosed," Ms Diffey said.
"It was probably about Lithgow when I pulled myself together and I said to Gus 'well, we can't change it but we can sure as hell make it the best possible life for her'. And that's what we did."
While Clare won't get to use the hydrotherapy pool, Ms Diffey said she was glad her daughter still had a connection to it.
"Nicole Grosse who has On the Move rehab brings her clients here and I feel like that's a connection because she's on Clare's Angels as well," she said.
"Clare's Angels was never about Clare really, it was about kids in Dubbo with special needs and how we help them."
Now that the van has ben delivered to the school, Ms Diffey said Clare's Angels might take a short break from fundraising.
However, she said there were things like a trampoline cover that the school might need in the future.
Since Clare's Angels began, the charity has raised more than $200,000 for kids with disabilities and Rett syndrome.