After month of hard work, blue hair and a day of card games and motorbikes, local bartender Donald Carruthers has raised $3000 for Beyond Blue, smashing his original goal of $1500.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Inspired by the loss of a friend to suicide and his own experiences with depression, Donald set out to raise awareness of mental illnesses and remind locals that there is help available.
Joined by friends Milly Clement, Letitia Hartley, Philip Cooke, Cara Longbottom and Kelvin Brown, Donald kicked off the fundraiser by dying his hair blue in February. He spent the month hosting weekly trivia nights and pool competitions and discussing his striking hair colour with patrons.
A poker run co-hosted by the Viking Breed Social Motorcycle Club was the star event earlier this month, attracting around 100 riders from all over the state. The group travelled to pubs in Emmaville, Deepwater and Glen Innes, playing hands of poker at each, before heading back to the Imperial Hotel for a raffle and entertainment from the Joeys Oz Music World Tour. Deepwater Inn donated 10 per cent of their proceeds from the visit to the initiative.
“If you know anyone that’s going through that sort of rough patch, talk to them. There’s always helplines,” Donald said. To reach the Beyond Blue support service, call 1300 22 4636.