Founded in 2012, the volunteer-run charity provides vouchers for fuel, travel and accommodation, groceries, and assistance with utility bills to people undergoing cancer treatment across Kyabram and surrounding towns.
The charity’s major fundraiser, the Kyabram Gift Ball, will return on Saturday, November 14 after being put on hold since the COVID-19 pandemic.
With ticket sales for the ball moving slowly, committee members are concerned about the long-term sustainability of their current level of care.
Kyabram Gift secretary Dey Alexander said the charity currently assisted between 30 and 40 recipients at any given time.
“There’s quite a need in the local community, and the demand has been rising,” Dey said.
“We’ve had several years where we’ve been dipping into reserves rather than getting ahead with our bank balance.
“We’re starting to get concerned that we might end up needing to look at various limits on the sorts of support we can provide unless we can raise some more money.”
The committee is hoping the revival of the formal cocktail evening will re-establish the momentum needed to secure the charity’s future and its ability to continue to provide support to people with cancer.
“It’s our major fundraiser, so if we’re not able to run it again, it just means we’re continually dipping into reserve funds — and the risk of that is at some point those funds will run out,” Dey said.
The ball will take place from 7pm at the Lancaster Football Netball Club, featuring live music from Stumbling North, food, auctions and free beer or wine on arrival.
Tickets are $90 per person and can be booked through TryBooking via tinyurl.com/4pkj6zua.
A shuttle bus service will run to and from Lancaster from Kyabram, with guests able to add a bus ticket to their booking.
