On Saturday at Merriwa Show, Merriwa Health Environment Group Inc. (MHEG) will launch its ‘Win-a-Painting’ competition with proceeds going to Motor Neurone Disease Research.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Merriwa family members of distinguished Australian artist Colleen M Parker RFAS, who also suffered from motor neurone disease, have donated one of her paintings, ‘Central Desert Landscape’ as a prize for the MHEG fundraiser.
A tastefully framed oil on board, the painting glows with the colours of the central Australian desert. It is valued conservatively at more than $600.
“I know my mother would be happy to support this competition, she was a very positive person,” Colleen Parker’s son, Adrian said this week.
The Win-a-Painting competition will run for several weeks to maximise the amount it raises for MND.
Tickets will be available at Merriwa Show on Saturday and then from Di’s Clothing Patch in Merriwa or by phoning MHEG secretary Ted Finnie on 6548 5171 or emailing tjfinnie@skymesh.com.au
“One of our members has developed this disease and we can see the effects first-hand, so, as we’re running a stall at the show, we decided to use the opportunity to do some MND fundraising,” Mr Finnie said.
“At the moment they don’t know what causes MND and there is virtually no treatment. I know it sounds appalling, but all you can do is just make people comfortable and watch them die.”
Another Merriwa Healthy Environment Group member, Enid Holt, is planning an MND fundraiser for later this year by publishing a series of children’s books written and illustrated by her daughter, Susan Willis, about the adventures of a pony named Sunny.
The books are in the production phase and once they take off, MND research will benefit on an ongoing basis.
Merriwa Healthy Environment Group was formed in 2011 to publicise the environmental, social and economic advantages of the Merriwa district.
Members fight to protect Merriwa Plateau, which is the best overall food-producing country in Australia and well worth preserving for future generations as a clean, reliable food source.
“As a community action group, we consider the Motor Neurone Disease cause to be part of our charter, we are looking forward to making our contribution,” Mr Finnie said.
