Duo fire up for charity bash
THE car's kitted out, the swags are on the roof and the fundraising has been a success.
Now it's time to have fun on the road.
Flinders View driver Alwyn Bishop and his navigator Geoff Cavanagh, of Wamuran, take off on the Great Endeavour Rally tomorrow.
Both are first-timers on the 4000km bush adventure which raises money to help out people with disabilities, who are clients of the Endeavour Foundation.
Despite their inexperience, the two entrants are in seventh place as overall fundraisers with a tally of $13,500.
"We're actually the first fundraiser in our division of the Great Endeavour," Mr Bishop said.
"The Caboolture Clay Target Club put on a day that collected $2100 in one day.
"We've had companies from Sydney, Mount Isa, the north coast and Goodna sponsor us, basically all over the state.
"We've got really good sponsors.
"The mechanic donated all his time, and his apprentice's.
"He strengthened the front end and the car itself. The suspension has been raised up."
The adventurers say they have spent up to $15,000 on car 777, an XF Falcon utility.
Their theme is Loaders and Logs, reflecting their business interests.
Mr Bishop said it was hard to know what the rally would be like.
"The scenery will be great because I enjoy the bush," he said.
"My dad was always going to do the rally. Now he's in his 80s so he's too old."
Having a child with a disability makes Mr Bishop well aware of the Endeavour Foundation's work.
This rally will support more than 3350 people with disabilities across Queensland and New South Wales. The fundraising target is $500,000.
One hundred participants in the 25th annual Great Endeavour Rally & Cruise - as well as the sixth Super Endeavour Rally - will start off from Toowoomba tomorrow.
They'll cruise to Roma, Isisford, McKinlay, Karumba, Prairie, Bowen River Hotel, Lake Dunn, Wilpeena and Yeppoon.
Bush camping, creek crossings, fancy dress, singsongs, bog holes and breakdowns are par for the course, not to mention wildlife encounters.
This year the funds will help Endeavour Foundation build a new food-handling facility at Wacol, providing employment for people it supports.
