Event raises cash for brave Harris
Proceeds from this year’s community bonfire and fireworks night in Dunbeg will go to a three-year-old boy who has leukemia.
Harris McGougan, who lives in the village, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia last year.
Event organiser James MacDonald said: ‘His family have had a nightmare so this year Dunbeg is going to give them a night to remember.’
The bonfire will be lit at 7.30pm on Saturday November 3 at the Lochnell Road car park.
Last year’s display raised a total of £2,500 for Oban High School Pipe Band.
Revealing why the organisers wanted to raise money for Harris and his family, James said: ‘Over the past year he has been living at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children. It was full-on – from bone marrow tests, blood transfusions, many chemotherapy sessions, infection and much more.
‘His mum said the treatment “drained the life out of him”.
‘Harris goes to Glasgow every Tuesday for blood tests. He has oral chemotherapy every night if his bloods are okay. Every month he has to have chemotherapy intravenously and every three months has to be put under anaesthetic to have chemotherapy in his spine. This is one courageous little boy.’
James is now on the hunt for donations, whether that be a raffle prize, bottle stall contribution or money.
‘Any donation you can make would be greatly appreciated and we would like to thank you in advance,’ he added.
Anyone wishing to make a donation by cheque can do so by making it payable to Dunbeg Development Committee.
The community bonfire and fireworks night was re-established in 2016 by James, his family and a merry band of volunteers.
The 2016 event raised a total of £1,800, with £500 of it going to Dunbeg Primary School to fund a new projector. Last year’s display was even bigger.
Speaking afterwards, James said: ‘It was absolutely outstanding and the fireworks were apparently brilliant – I couldn’t see because I was underneath them. There were so many people there, you couldn’t park in Dunbeg.’