The final numbers are in for Coles Echuca’s FightMND fundraising efforts, with the team once again placing among the top stores nationally.
Over the six-week campaign, the store raked in $47,000 for the charity, placing it as the fourth-highest fundraising store in the country.
The result follows its Big Freeze event on Saturday, June 7, which smashed its $3000 target to raise $4718 on the day.
Store support manager Lachlan Maskell said the day saw the biggest turnout of the four store barbecues held to raise funds for FightMND.
“It’s really, really good, the support — not only from Coles itself, but from the community,” he said.
“We saw a lot of community members and customers come down to donate, and just give us support for the cause, which was great.”
The total figure raised includes merchandise sales, such as the Big Freeze 11 beanies, donations at checkouts and the store barbecues.
Mr Maskell said the results would not have been possible without the kindness of locals, whom he saw giving generously, especially at fundraisers.
“I just really want to reiterate the amount of support that we’ve got from our customers over the last five years,” Mr Maskell said.
“Us as a store has gone well, but we would never get there without the community getting behind us.”
Since 2020, the store has raised more than $250,000 for FightMND, a leading motor neurone disease charity.
Nationally, the Coles Group raised more than $7.7 million for Big Freeze 11, and a spokesperson gave thanks to the generous support of the Echuca-Moama community.