TONY Roberts feels like a winner and in this instance, he certainly is.
Mr Roberts has been buying raffle tickets through the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation for years – and was stunned to recently receive a phone call that he had won a $25,000 cruise around Tasmania.
He bought 20 tickets in the BDO Arrow Experience Coral Expeditions cruise – never thinking he would be the lucky winner.
“My wife’s already told me that she’s going and I’m allowed to as well,” Mr Roberts laughed.
“I’m a bit of a sucker when it comes to buying local raffle tickets. If it’s for our local hospital, I’m always there buying tickets because you never know when you or your family might need it,” he said.
He and his wife visited Tasmania several years ago and always felt they wanted to go back but have never been on a cruise before.
Mr Roberts enjoyed the opportunity to take a tour of the Coral Discoverer, the boat that will take them on the luxury cruise.
Coral Expeditions Commercial Director Jeff Gillies said this was the fourth cruise the company had donated to the Foundation.
“We’re thrilled to welcome another family aboard our stunning Tasmanian cruise as part of our ongoing support for the BDO Arrow Experience,” Mr Gillies said.
“At Coral Expeditions, we believe in giving back to the communities we call home, and partnering with the Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation allows us to contribute to life-changing initiatives like the Donate for DaNi campaign. It’s a privilege to help bring world-class health care to our region while sharing the magic of Tasmania’s wild beauty with a deserving family.”
The 10-night cruise aboard the Coral Discoverer features accommodation in a Promenade Deck stateroom, guided hikes to iconic destinations, along with unforgettable wildlife encounters featuring wombats, wallabies and seals.
Foundation CEO Gina Hogan said she was delighted to meet the cruise winner.
“Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we raised more than $55,000 through the raffle and event—an outstanding result that will make a real difference,” Mrs Hogan said.
“Every dollar raised is going directly to our Donate for DaNi campaign, helping us bring robotic-assisted surgery to our public hospital full-time. It’s heartening to see our community come together to support such a transformative cause.”
Find out more about the campaign at www.fnqhf.org.au
Photo: Coral Expeditions Chief Commercial Officer Jeff Gillies, Foundation Fundraising and Marketing Manager Glenys Duncombe and cruise winner Tony Roberts.
