Healesville Community Bank team members Cheryl McGeorge, Jayne Matthews, Amanda Parry, Karissa Gazsik and Suzanne Dixon are gearing up for Relay for Life.
By Kath Gannaway
CHERYL McGeorge will be swapping her high-heels for sneakers as part of the Healesville Community Bank’s Relay for Life team.
Bank staff and board members of Healesville Community Enterprise, which opened the bank in February this year, have jumped at the chance to get involved in Yarra Ranges Relay for Life which will be held in Healesville in November.
Team captain and HCEL board member Sandra Schoffer and branch manager Suzanne Dixon said the event was community-focused and fitted well with the bank’s own community ideals.
It is not surprising that for most of the team members the event is also personal. Cancer Council Victoria says 666 Yarra Ranges residents have been diagnosed with cancer this year and it is rare to find anyone who has not been touched by cancer.
“One in two Victorians will be diagnosed with cancer by age 85, so we all have a reason to help fight the disease,” said the Cancer Council’s Yarra Ranges Relay co-ordinator Lisa West.
Sandra lost her husband to prostate cancer six years ago and Suzanne lost her mum and grandmother to cancer.
The connection with the event in Healesville is also strong for staff member Jayne Matthews whose mother-in-law died recently.
“She had just been diagnosed and walked with us when the relay was in Healesville last time and is always a motivation,” Jayne said.
The Healesville Community Bank team is planning a series of fund-raisers over the next two months and donations to the team can also be made at the bank.
“We are inviting our shareholders and our bank customers to get behind their community bank team and help us make a difference by raising funds for cancer research and support and prevention programs,” Sandra said.
The Yarra Ranges Relay for Life will take place at the Don Road Sports Complex on 5 and 6 November.
To register a Relay for Life teamvisit ww.relayforlife.org.au.
