$33000 gold coins gift for charity

From: South Australia Advertiser, Australia - Jun 12, 2003

By JESSICA HURT

IN December, South Australians opened their hearts and their wallets when they attended Carols by Candlelight.

Yesterday, their efforts paid off when the total donation of $33,000 was presented to three charities.

The Crippled Children's Association, the Women's and Children's Hospital and the Cora Barclay Centre each received $11,000.

The amount brings the total raised since the event bean in 1945 to more than $1.1 million. Carols by Candlelight is sponsored by The Advertiser and the Adelaide City Council as well as Channel 7 and Mix 102.3.

The money was raised from gold coin donations at last year's Carols by Candlelight, held on December 15 at Elder Park.

Winnie Pelz of the Women's and Children's Hospital said the donation results would make a "huge difference".

It would help in the continuing upgrade of the children's wards, she said.

Richard Pascoe, president of the board at the Cora Barclay Centre, said the money would give more support to hearing-impaired children who visited the centre.

He said the centre was the "only agency (in SA) with qualified teachers of the deaf who can teach deaf kids to talk".

Glenn Rappensberg, chief executive of the Crippled Children's Association, said the cheque of $11,000 would fund the cost of either an electric wheelchair, several manual wheelchairs or an electronic speech device.

"It will assist in their ability to access services in the community, whether that be at home or at school," he said.

Dominic Sulda, chairman of the Carols by Candlelight Committee, said it was "fantastic" to be able to support the three important charities. He said the committee had set a target of $60,000 for this year's event.

A record crowd of more than 35,000 were united in the festive spirit at last year's Carols by Candlelight.

© Advertiser Newspapers Ltd