Bug Off Cancer returns from the red centre

For the third year running, dedicated Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF) fundraiser Norman Elias and his team of VW Beetle enthusiasts (co-driver Mario and Kombi drivers Joe and John) have taken a road trip for cancer research.

This time, the Bug Off Cancer crew put more than 7,500kms behind them on a round trip to Uluru and with the support of family and friends, corporate charity donations, and the general public they fundraised over $15,000 for the ACRF. Their overall fundraising total for the ACRF is now at an incredible $35,220!

Norman has very sadly lost both parents and other relatives to cancer and this is what motivates him to run his “cancer drive” every year, raising such a significant amount for cancer research.

“I am determined to help raise funds for Australian Cancer Research Foundation so they can continue to fund cancer research to find better treatments and hopefully a cure to rid us of this disease,” he said.

Norman has done a lot of hard work behind the scenes and has asked people to donate to charity in several different ways. He held many cancer fundraising events throughout the year including sausage sizzles, trivia nights, and raffles.

The team at ACRF are extremely grateful to Norman and his supporters for this outstanding effort.

Here at the ACRF, we rely on the generosity of Australians such as Norman who fundraise on our behalf so that we can continue to fund world-class cancer research. We’d like to say a huge thank you to Norm and the long list of supporters who have supported him along his journey.

With special thanks to:

Bug Off Cancer’s two major corporate charity sponsors:

• QANTAS Engineering
• ACCESS Group Solutions

Other sponsors and supporters include, in no particular order:

• Cobar Town & Country Inn (donated accommodation)
• Sturt Motel Broken Hill (heavily discounted accommodation)
• Comfort Inn Augusta-West Side (donated accommodation)
• The Lookout Cave Coober Pedy (donated accommodation)
• John’s Pizza Coober Pedy (donated lunch)
• Shell Coober Pedy (donated fuel)
• Greek Taverna Coober Pedy (donated dinner)
• Ayers Rock Resort (heavily discounted accommodation)
• Alice Motor Inn Alice Springs (discounted accommodation)
• Desert Sands Motel Tennant Creek (discounted accommodation)
• Ann Wilson – Tennant Creek RSL (opening the club especially for us and shouting us a beer and taking the time to give us a tour of the smallest RSL in Australia)
• Albert Park Motor Inn Longreach (discounted accommodation)
• Hotel Corones Charleville (discounted accommodation)
• Highlander Motor Inn Toowoomba (donated accommodation)
• Carlton Officeworks (donated prizes for our Trivia Night)
• St George Rowing Club (donating the room for our Trivia Night)
• Club VeeDub Sydney (donations, sponsorship and raffles)
• Hereford Prime Mortdale (donating sausages for sausage sizzles)
• ALAEA (sponsorship and advertising of the drive)
• All the individual supporters who sponsored the drive from the beginning, and during the drive having seen the 1965 Beetle roaming around the middle of Australia.

A special mention must also go to Norm’s Beetle, for again seeing him smoothly and safely to his destination – his Bug didn’t miss a beat, using 604 litres of fuel and 0.5 litres of oil to travel the 7674km.

A final note from Norman: “This has been a BIG year and the best to date, covering three states and a territory. I had never been to the Northern Territory before this trip, and that was an experience that is etched in my memory, along with the rest of the trip. Australia is a great place. Rugged yet beautiful and even as the landscape differs from place to place, and the people vary from the City to the Country to The Outback, you know you are in Australia. I hope you have enjoyed following this trip as much as I have enjoyed driving it.

Norman has created a two-part series on YouTube which you can watch by clicking the links below:
Bug Off Cancer! Video (Part 1)
Bug Off Cancer! Video (Part 2)