Convoy for cancer ruffling feathers and raising money

While the general consensus seems to be a positive one with regards the rebirth of the Canberra convoy for cancer there will always be those who think that it is a noisy air polluting event, that is better in someone else’s back yard, and I respect your right to that opinion. But if you are one of those who holds that opinion or if you know someone who thinks that way I would like people (especially those who dont appreciate it) to look at this photo which was taken at 2012 Convoy for Kids here in the illawarra.
This one photo says it all, look at the face in that truck and tell me that it is not worth while

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/59669_10151183463919213_898101659_n.jpg

Or for those who have a spare 16 minutes in their day take the time to watch an excerpt of the TV special which aired on WIN TV of the 2011 convoy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DaJJOLZ9eU

what_the said :

I scored the highest run total ever when the convoy was going past a few years back.

Canberrans can really be whinging bastards. Just proves to me that people who really have nothing to complain about will always have something to conplain about.

I know a fair few people who complained about it but had no idea what was going on. Had they known it was a fund raiser for charity I think they would have been fine with it. Instead they had honking and a sort of exhaust smell in their backyard (they were having a BBQ and are fairly close to drakeford drive) and weren’t entirely sure why.

KB1971 said :

muntychops said :

KB1971 said :

Its a pity the support for the motorcycle portion of the convoy was ignored, we used to do it every year until the organizers didn’t care about them.

I heard great support for them on 104.7 this week and at the event today. Great scenes and yeah the NIMBY’s complaining of the noise would be the 1st lining up for help from the group if someone they loved was stricken down with this vile disease.

Gotta love the 1% of whingers

That’s good if they do encourage it again as the bikes used to outnumber the trucks and they used to go first and Northbourne was blocked off for everybody.

This was back in the days when Marty & Erika from 104.7 were involved and it was a great event. It all fell apart after they withdrew support & in the end I think there was no actual “entry” for bikes, just trucks.

Anyway, good to see it up and running again with really good support this year. I saw the pics & don’t remember seeing that many trucks involved ever.

Marty was there this weekend he drove a really slow Volvo truck we had an awesome day down there already talking of coming back next year

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

What sort of pos whines about peeps fundraising for cancer?

maybe one who has never ever had to deal with a dying child or one who has never lost a best friend or parent to cancer. As a wife of one of the 18 truckers and 20 odd bikers who came down from Wollongong I want to say thank you, I/we had an awesome day. I believe the goal is to build the convoy down there and while some may scoff at $80,000 raised, the first year the convoy ran up in the illawarra it raised around 50K, last year it raised 1.3million just think what a difference that makes to sick kids and their families. The figures are that there a hundreds more cancer sufferers and their families in the eden monaro act area than there are in the illawarra. and this convoy is their major fundraiser..Just take time to look at the kids faces who stand on the side of the road and tell me or others that its not a good thing. The truckers do it for many reasons. to help sick kids and families to put a smile on faces of kids and to take a break from the mundane daily grind of driving up and down the highways. they do it for love they do it for free ads they do it because they want to make a difference in sick kids and peoples lives. See you all next year cause we have all decided that it was such a great day that we want to come back next year

tim_c said :

Why didn’t they just sit at home and donate the cost of running the convoy instead of expending those costs in order to raise the approximately the same value in donations?!

A valid point, but without the convoy it would be another exercise in slacktivism. The convoy creates a bit of a spectacle and something newsworthy to promote the great service provided by the ACT-Eden-Monaro Cancer Suppport Group.

There is also an auction held for a participant to lead the convoy, providing another fundraising component.

tim_c said :

I always find public fundraising events like this to be a rather interesting concept. It was reported on local radio (FM 104.7) that the amount raised was $80,000 – which is rather close to the cost to hire the 400 trucks and drivers involved for one hour. Why didn’t they just sit at home and donate the cost of running the convoy instead of expending those costs in order to raise the approximately the same value in donations?!

By sitting on your lounge you miss the priceless smiles on the faces of the kids and families who were there.
There was also money being raised at the fair that the public attended.

BelcoMan said :

KB1971 said :

Its a pity the support for the motorcycle portion of the convoy was ignored, we used to do it every year until the organizers didn’t care about them.

There are 2 fantastic events for motorcyclists in the MRA Toy Run and the MRA Blanket Run. I agree with you that it is a bit disappointing as a motorcyclist when you go to support an event and are seen as an afterthought or add-on.

MRA? meh…….

muntychops said :

KB1971 said :

Its a pity the support for the motorcycle portion of the convoy was ignored, we used to do it every year until the organizers didn’t care about them.

I heard great support for them on 104.7 this week and at the event today. Great scenes and yeah the NIMBY’s complaining of the noise would be the 1st lining up for help from the group if someone they loved was stricken down with this vile disease.

Gotta love the 1% of whingers

That’s good if they do encourage it again as the bikes used to outnumber the trucks and they used to go first and Northbourne was blocked off for everybody.

This was back in the days when Marty & Erika from 104.7 were involved and it was a great event. It all fell apart after they withdrew support & in the end I think there was no actual “entry” for bikes, just trucks.

Anyway, good to see it up and running again with really good support this year. I saw the pics & don’t remember seeing that many trucks involved ever.

Mulan said :

Leon said :

The Convoy for Cancer is apparently run by the ACT-Eden-Monaro Cancer Suppport Group. According to its website, the main service the Group provides is financial assistance to cancer patients and their families. Donations are tax deductible.

Obviously some of the funds raised go to paying their two staff members. From the website, I couldn’t find any information about how much of the funds gets to cancer patients.

I have had dealings with The ACT Eden Monaro Cancer Support Group over the last few years and know that their staff wages and admin costs are paid by a government grant.
They pride themselves on giving almost all money’s raised back to their patients. I’m guessing with events like the convoy some items and expenses that are not donated need to be paid for.

I second that Mulan!!

I doubt the drivers would be getting paid to drive in the CC. If they were on wages then maybe their employer paid for the fuel, I imagine the owner drivers would of paid for fuel out of their own pocket.