Narrabeen resident and local business owner Kathy Robinson has just completed her first 750 kilometre ‘Late Fe-mail Postie Bike Ride’ and together with her team has raised over $6,000 for the Wings4Kidz charity, which works to provide air transport for rural youth requiring treatment in metro hospitals.
Kathy has owned Just Cuts Warriewood salon for 10 years and said a sense of adventure drove her to buy a Postie bike online and join 66 women from regional NSW on the ride. Kathy entered the Postie bike rally with a team of 5 called ‘the Valkyries’ which included her daughter, sister, niece and friend. The team had only just obtained their motor bike licences in the weeks leading up to the trip.
“At the moment Wings4Kidz are supporting around 76 rural families in NSW with free air transport services to metropolitan hospitals, and they are working to boost that to 100,” said Kathy. “For these families it’s not just a doctor’s visit, it can be multiple visits for treatments over many months or years and these young kids need to have their families with them.”
“Wings4Kidz transforms a 12 hour round car trip at the crack of dawn into a one hour flight, alleviating much of the stress for these families. Given rising cost of living as well, it’s so tough on the parents. That’s why 66 mostly regionally based women came together to raise $310,000.”
The Postie bike rally started on April 3rd in Gulgong and finished April 6th in Mudgee and wound its way in and around back roads and farms. Kathy worked with a local business to spruce up her postie bike with her Just Cuts salon logo.
“I’ve done the Outback Car Trek with Just Cuts before which is an annual 2WD dirt road car rally to raise money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and to be honest I was expecting this to be a more leisurely ride,” said Kathy. “But being on a Postie bike is a completely different experience as you’re so exposed. It was tough going for me riding 190km a day, especially when I was being overtaken by trucks, semi trailers and caravans, plus I was chased by a pack of dogs at one point. The rain hit us on day 3, and the route had to be changed so we could be on the tar and there were river crossings.”
“With all that aside I’ve already committed to doing it again next year. There as so many amazing women doing the ride and I have made some great friends.”
Garry Rogers organises fundraising for the Girraween based Wingz4Kidz charity, which has raised nearly $2 million dollars in ten years through annual postie bike rides, and congratulated Kathy on getting involved in the second Fe-mail Postie Bike Ride.
“I congratulate Kathy on completing her first postie bike ride. She did really well considering there were all sorts of difficulties from extremely dry temperatures to torrential weather,” said Garry.
“We’re a not for profit that I got involved with 10 years ago. Last year I thought I’d see if the ladies would like to do a ride like the men’s annual Postie Bike Ride. Our first Fe-mail Postie Bike Ride had 37 women raise over $200,000, and this year 66 women raised $310,000.”
“Wingz for Kidz is a 100% volunteer run organisation where pilots and drivers donate their time to transport sick kids. All the money raised is used for aviation fuel and aircraft hire, as the only person paid through WingzforKidz is our auditor.”
As the owner of Just Cuts Balgowlah and Warriewood salons, Kathy says she is proud to be donating her time and resources to support the Wings4Kidz charity.
“As a successful small business owner I’m now at a stage of my life where I’m trying to get as much done as possible and give back to the community. I’m also a member of the Bei Loon Dragon Boat Club which is based at Bayview and we will be attending the world championships in Italy this year.”
“I’ve got the time to contribute and I know my dedicated team of Stylists will keep my Just Cuts salons running without me, and that my business will still be there when I come back to it.”
To make a tax deductible donation to WingzforKidz, visit: http://www.wings4kidz.org.au/how-you-can-help/