Police ride a winner

By Melissa Meehan
DANDENONG police have cemented their relationship with Dandenong Hospital by donating $6750 to the children’s ward.
The money was raised by Dandenong CIU detectives forming a cycling team to take part in the 2009 Murray to Moyne Cycling relay event.
The relay started in Echuca on the Murray River and ran 520 kilometres to Port Fairy.
Detective Senior Constable Russell Church said 12 police officers from Dandenong took part in the ride that had to be completed in 24 hours. “That meant we rode at night and in the early hours of the morning,” he said.
The team had five support crew and most members were from the Dandenong CIU office.
A number of them visited Dandenong Hospital on Tuesday to present the cheque to the ward and made friends with patients Luke, 5, and Sonika., 4.
Luke was born 26 weeks into his mother’s pregnancy and has spent a lot of time at the hospital.
Nurse Janine said that the donation would go a long way for the ward. “We have more than 2500 children through the doors each year,” she said. “It will go to much-needed equipment.”
She said that the money would go towards buying a machine that humidified oxygen. “That will help recovery and speed up their hospital stay as well,” she said.
Det Sen Const Church said without the support of local businesses police would not have been able to raise the money.