THERE are no arguments the local Lions Club is one of the biggest hearted service groups in Cootamundra.
For almost four decades Lions has supported the community in a number of ways including fundraising and projects for the benefit of the town and providing financial assistance to other charities and organisations.
Local Lions members are often first to volunteer to assist at community events.
For the first time ever, Cootamundra Lions Club is focussing their energies on fundraising to support local boy Joe Roberts and his family.
Joe is the son of Scott, a born and bred local man and current teacher at the Sacred Heart Central School, and Jodie, a former Cootamundra teacher.
Five year old Joe was born with Cytomegalovirus, also known as CMV, a virus which was contracted in the uterus when his mum was pregnant.
Statistics show that approximately 10 per cent of babies are born with the CMV virus and only 1 per cent of those show evident signs of the virus at birth, which is known as symptomatic congenital cytomelivirus.
Joe is part of that 1 per cent.
In healthy people, CMV infection causes nothing more than flu like symptoms that last only a few days.
In certain people, including transplant patients and pregnant women, the effects can be much more serious, which was the case for Joe.
The virus has been known to cause hearing and vision loss, mental disability, feeding issues or a failure to thrive, sleeping problems, sensory issues, ADHD or Autism, cerebral palsy, seizures and even death.
Lions Club members have met with Jodie and Scott a number of times to discuss specialised equipment Joe needs and ideas of how they will fundraise for this equipment.
Lions member Phil Quarmby said ideas will include a monster wood raffle, the possibility of hosting a grocery grab along with other general raffles and the acceptance of community donations.
Mr Quarmby said foundations such as the NSW/ACT Public Health Care Foundation, which Lions International has supported since its inception in 1981, may be able to match dollar for dollar what the local Lions Club raise for Joe.
The primary objective of the NSW/ACT Public Health Care Foundation is to promote, advance and assist research into the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of illnesses, sicknesses and afflictions of all kinds suffered.
Since its establishment, the Foundation has funded grants worth more than $4 million towards research projects concerning various health and medically related matters.
High on the priority list for Joe is a specialist wheelchair, which may cost in excess of $8500
With Joe set to start kindergarten at the Elouera Special School next year, the wheelchair is a must to allow for added comfort during his school years.
Also on the list for Joe is a communication device which will allow Joe to converse with his family, peers and teachers. This is another piece of equipment the Lions Club have indicated they are willing to help with financially.
Joe is already enjoying the luxury of having more mobility with a recently purchased walker; however he is unable to spend long periods of time in the walker as he tires easily.
The walker plus other recent equipment was purchased using some generous donations made by the local community along with a grant provided by children’s charity Variety.
Jodie, Scott and their children Matthew, Joe, Oscar and Sophie are so thankful for the support and generosity shown by Cootamundra Lions.
“We just can’t thank the Lions Club enough on Joe’s behalf, this is a wonderful thing they are doing for us, we are very appreciative not only of the support of Lions Club but also to the wider community,” Jodie said.
Mr Quarmby said Cootamundra Lions are committed to continuing to support kids such as Joe and their families well into the future.
A wood raffle will commence tomorrow, with tickets available from outside Woolworths.
Local residents can help in the sale of tickets or make donations by contacting either Phil Quarmby on 6942 3344 or Jim Randall on 6942 2733.
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