Charity club off to the races

Lyndale Secondary Interact students, back from left, Selena, Kesley and Reza, and front from left, Savana, Lily and Natasha with Greater Dandenong-Endeavour Hills Rotarians Colin and Leanne Byron. (Stewart Chambers; 414830)

Students and teachers at Lyndale Secondary College will put their hands to the wheels for an international charity next month.

The student Interact Club is staging a wheelchair race for Year 7s and teachers as well as a Crazy Sock Day and sausage sizzle next month.

As well as the thrills and spills, they are hoping to raise awareness and funds for charity Wheelchairs For Kids Australia.

WFKA has made nearly 60,000 wheelchairs for under-resourced communities in Australia and overseas.

In parts of the world, some children with disabilities are deprived of wheelchairs, live their lives on the ground or on a bed and must be carried around.

They often miss out on school, social activities, independence and physical and mental wellbeing.

At $275 a wheelchair, it’s hoped that the Lyndale races will fund several wheelchairs for children in need, says Interact club vice-president Lily.

It’s the first major fundraiser for the club, which was set up in partnership with Greater Dandenong-Endeavour Hills Rotary in June.

The Interact members were hand-picked by the school, says Lyndale assistant principal Diana Kennedy.

“This is a group who want to make a difference.”

The wheelchair races and crazy sock day are on Friday 13 September. To donate, go to shoutforgood.com/fundraisers/Wheelathon-LyndaleSecondaryCollege2024