IT was ironic that Paul Rosman's visit to see his ailing mother in Cairns, resulted in him winning a motorcycle raffle that benefits health services.
Mr Rosman, an airline pilot living in Victoria, bought two lots of tickets in the Wayne Leonard's Motorcycle Muster Harley-Davidson XL883N Iron motorcycle raffle, while visiting his mother earlier this year.
“Mum was in Gordonvale and we were up there for a few weeks so I actually bought two lots of tickets,” Mr Rosman said.
“She'd been in and out of hospital for a while and we saw that it was for the Hospital Foundation so we thought we'd buy a few tickets,” he explained.
He was simply stunned when he received a telephone call out of the blue on the night of the Muster in June, to say he had won the bike.
“I'd forgotten all about the tickets to be honest, I'd just put it out of my mind.”
He arranged to have the fabulous “cherished toy” trucked down to his home in Victoria but was pleased to be able to call into Wayne Leonard's Motorcycles this week while in town for a work trip, to thank all involved.
Mr Rosman is originally from the area, having grown up at Freshwater and attended Trinity Bay High School.
Wayne Leonard said this year's muster, the 15th in the event's history, was one of the best, with a fabulous weekend spent at Mission Beach.
“It's great to meet Paul in person and know the bike is going to someone who's going to enjoy it and treasure it,” Mr Leonard said.
Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation CEO Tony Franz said there were so many special components to this year's event – from the money raised for the Cairns Hospital Emergency
Department, to the fabulous community spirit exhibited during the lead-up and the event, to meeting the recipient of the bike.
“This event has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to improving healthcare for people in the Far North during its 15 year history and we're eternally grateful to Wayne and Rhonda Leonard for their involvement and community spirit.”
Photo: Wayne and Rhonda Leonard and Foundation CEO Tony Franz congratulate Paul Rosman on his new motorcycle.
