Where there's a will...

IN what can only be described as a colossal feat, Naomi Burey of Ilfracombe has successfully raised over $21,000 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, taking out this year’s charity award at the Spirit of Queensland Awards.

Exceeding her own expectations threefold, Ms Burey was presented with the award for raising the most amount of funds at a gala ceremony in Brisbane last Friday evening.

"I said to someone on Friday night that I had no expectations of raising over $21,000, no expectations that I would make it as a finalist in the Spirit of Queensland Awards and no expectations that I would win and take home an award, but look where I ended up," Ms Burey recapped.

Since February, Ms Burey has been relentlessly fundraising, seizing upon dozens of community events to raise some extra cash for the RFDS.

"The biggest donation came from the Yaraka Gymkhana Association which contributed over $6,000, while RM Williams donated $5,000.
"I also staged a number of charity shoots across the district, as well as an Easter raffle and a market day."

Most recently, a clay target shoot was held in Barcaldine on November 11, attracting over 60 seasoned shooters as well as a number of first-timers.

For Naomi, it was a recent accident on an isolated Outback road that once again highlighted the valuable role the flying doctor plays in remote Queensland.

"The accident between Yaraka and Isisford a few months ago really epitomised, for me, what the RFDS is all about.
"It really showed just how much communities out here rely on the RFDS.
"The money raised – nearly half-a-million dollars – from this year’s awards will now go towards helping to improve the services the RFDS can provide to these rural communities – through better equipment, new planes and neonatal equipment."

With her fundraising efforts successfully accomplished, Naomi is now encouraging other people – young and old – to take up the challenge.

"It has been a great experience, which enabled me to improve my public speaking abilities. I have also learnt a lot about self-confidence and what I can and can’t do – basically about my capabilities as a person."

Over $470,000 was raised in this year’s awards, with the main title going to Leanne Pullen of Mackay, the corporate charity award to Lynda Ryan of Mount Isa, outstanding achievement award to Virginia Lambert of Toowoomba and encouragement award to Sherreen Johnston of Georgetown.