A record fundraising effort from Tour de OROC will help Macquarie Home Stay save lives

After receiving a cheque for $177,500 Macquarie Home Stay will be able to start stage two of their expansion and continue providing a home away from home when residents need to come to Dubbo to seek medical treatment at Dubbo Hospital.

Tony Geraghty, the President of the Rotary Club of Dubbo South handed over the cheque on behalf of the Toyota Tour de OROC (Orana Region Outback Challenge) which saw brave riders raising money and travelling 1140 kilometres on their bikes across western NSW to support Macquarie Home Stay at Dubbo.

"Hopefully this event can continue in the future, because we believe this is a more than worthwhile project to support," he said.

Rod Crowfoot, Managing Director of Macquarie Home Stay was delighted to receive the record sum of money.

Mr Crowfoot said the money goes to helping real people and makes a huge impact on their lives.

He spoke of the Home Stay's recent milestone, with one mother giving birth at the centre.

"This indicates the importance of somewhere like Home Stay because the last thing we want to see is that little one being born on the side of the road, in a motor vehicle or an aeroplane on the way to Dubbo because of the lack of services," he said.

READ MORE:

Mr Crowfoot told another story of a woman who had stayed with Home Stay on and off for 18 months during a challenging period in her life.

"She rang me up saying she needed to come to Home Stay for more treatment and it was at a peak time when we were really full and had challenges fitting everyone in and she said 'if I can't get in to stay with you and I can't get support I don't think I'll be able to come'," he said.

Fortunately Mr Crowfoot was able to make something work and the woman received her life saving treatment.

Lightning Ridge resident John, is a "frequent flyer" with Home Stay and since 2019 has visited 46 times.

"He has openly said if it wasn't for Home Stay he wouldn't be here today," Mr Crowfoot said.

The money will go towards Home Stay's expansion which will include 26 units to support the Western Cancer Centre, 14 General Patient units and five Family Units.

"This will take our current 17 units to 63 units, and the reality is we could fill those as soon as they are built, that's what the precinct demand is," he said.

While Home Stay was promised funding during the election, the centre can't afford to wait for the government to come to the party.

"Fundraising like this really helps us, it is critical timing at the moment and this will help with our plan," he said.

This is the largest fundraising effort in one year by Toyota Tour de OROC and it takes the total funds raised from the last five Toyota Tour de OROC events to over $660,000.

Andrew Graham was announced as the single largest individual fundraiser with $20,725 raised individually.

Simon Friend who participated in the event, said he signed up for the physical challenge, to raise some money and have some beers with like minded people.

"I didn't have insight into the true cause, but I've been here [Home Stay] for my work as a paramedic," he said.

"As the ride got closer and we met up in Mudgee the night before I got a sense of the organisation, the commitment, the energy that goes into organising such a ride."

While not all the riders were built for the physical challenge, they all had the same mind set, according to Mr Friend.

"Each town we stopped in, especially Bourke, showed us what true hospitality really is," he said.

Chair of the organising committee, Mathew Dickerson said this is an incredible amount of money to raise from a single bike ride.

"Congratulations to the committee and support crew and riders for a fantastic outcome," he said.

Toyota has been the naming rights sponsor since the inception of the event in 2013 and, with the support of David Hayes from Dubbo City Toyota and Gilgandra Toyota, Toyota was once again the naming rights sponsor.

"When we stand here at Macquarie Home Stay and see what we have helped create, it makes all the support from Toyota and all of the other sponsors very much worthwhile," he said.

"Toyota is proud to have been here since the beginning of the journey."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: