Giving big for the Big Freeze

GEELONG shoppers raised more than $200,000 in this year’s FightMND’s Big Freeze, with two local Coles stores ranked among the top fundraising stores in the country.

The supermarket chain's Waurn Ponds and Leopold stores each raised more than $35,000 through the sale of

Big Freeze beanies and Coles Brand pork to be the fifth and seventh highest fundraising stores in Australia,

Across the country, Coles raised more than $5 million, almost half of the total $11.9 million raised in the Big Freeze 6 campaign started by AFL legend Neale Daniher to support research into finding effective treatments and a cure for motor neurone disease.

More than 100,000 Coles team members across the country joined the

“FightMND Army” in May to sell beanies at more than 800 supermarkets, the first time the popular head-warmers have been sold through supermarkets.

For the third year in a row Coles also donated 10 cents from the sale of each pack of Coles Brand fresh pork over the six weeks of the campaign, while Aussie pork farmers donated further funds.

Coles’ Geelong regional manager, Janelle Donovan, said having two stores in the region feature in the top 10 for fundraising nationally was a testament to the community spirit in Geelong and its affinity with the FightMND cause, footy and Daniher.

“We want to say a big thank you to our customers and the local community who have supported the campaign by buying a beanie or Coles brand fresh pork,” Ms Donovan said.

“When so many people are doing it tough as a result of COVID-19, it’s wonderful to see the support for such a worthy cause.”

FightMND chief executive Jamie Howden said Coles’ willingness to broaden its support through the network of supermarkets contributed significantly to the final total.

“Having Coles on board to sell beanies this year has made a huge impact on the fight against MND and on this campaign specifically which faced many challenges due to the restrictions of COVID-19,” Mr Howden said.