The Bacchus Marsh Ladies Auxiliary (BLMA) has provided Bacchus Marsh Hospital with a patient transport car as part of its most recent fundraising effort.
The campaign, which took more than 12 months to complete, officially concluded with the handover of the car on Tuesday, July 26.
The vehicle was arranged with Western Health, who run the hospital.
BMLA president Sarah Tollis said a vehicle for transport was on the wishlist for Bacchus Marsh Hospital.
“They needed a car and we raised the money,” she said.
“We raise money constantly and we put it to different areas – hospitals, SES, places like that – and ask them if they have a wishlist.”
The ladies auxiliary raises money through running an op shop.
Ms Tollis said that while “the ladies are stoked”, it wasn’t just them who should be proud of their efforts.
“Without the community, we couldn’t do this – they’re the ones that provide the items for us to sell so it all comes back to them doing their bit,” she said.
The BLMA is no stranger to raising money for the Bacchus Marsh Hospital. In fact, that is how there is a hospital in the first place.
“The affiliation… goes back years and years. It started after World War II when the ladies sold goods out of a caravan to build the hospital,” Ms Tollis said.
“It was initially built for veterans returning from the war and their families.”
Eddie Russell
