On April 8, David Pollak bought $50 worth of tickets in a car raffle. Today he’s driving away in the car!
Mr Pollak’s name was randomly drawn in the MacDonnells Law Arrow Experience at the event on Sunday, which raised more than $97,500 for the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation.
Funds raised will go towards a piece of diagnostic equipment for breast cancer patients in FNQ.
“I bought the tickets because I wanted to support the event but I wasn’t sure if I’d actually be able to do the walk,” Mr Pollak said.
“I am speechless but incredibly grateful for the crew at the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation for the events they organise and the awesome work they do to improve health care for FNQ,” Mr Pollak said.
“As it turned out, our family pet passed away on the Tuesday before, so myself and my wife were taking our first walk on the beach without her when we got the phone call about winning the car,” he said.
“I probably didn’t sound that excited because of where I was emotionally, but it’s a bit unbelievable. We haven’t really decided what to do with it yet but it’s a very welcome windfall as it would be for anyone.”
Mr Pollak received the MG, supplied by Trinity Auto, fittingly outside BreastScreen Cairns, which will receive the funds generated from walkers and ticket sales.
Foundation CEO Tony Williamson said an incredibly $100, 500 was raised through the event with 250 walkers registered.
“Congratulations to David. All our raffle winners are worthy but David is known to us as he did the QSuper Cardiac Challenge last year in honour of a workmate with a heart condition and he’s signed up as well this year,” Mr Williamson said.
“We had an amazing day on Sunday, there were hundreds of people joined with us for the event, lots of smiles and laughter. When we create these fundraising events, the primary goal is of course fundraising, but there’s some great health benefits from the physical activity itself as well as getting together with friends and family and having a laugh,” he said.
Mr Williamson also paid tribute to significant donors and fundraisers such as i-LEC, which raised a whopping $11, 500, Team LSCRR which raised $6481 and individuals such as Sandra Margetts, Kimberley Bugeja and Sara Gaudion who raised $5440, $3546 and $2600 respectively.
“We’d also like to thank our very generous sponsors MacDonnells Law, who also had two teams participating, Exoticathletica, Cairns Regional Council, Avis and the State Emergency Service.
“And we couldn’t have done it without the very many volunteers who helped bring it all to fruition.”
Photo: Car winner David Pollak, Foundation financial controller Joe Cristaldi and CEO Tony Williamson.
