Fundraising

Super-highway trip for charity

Yit Benfield of Charters Towers, along with 400 other participants, took part in the Gibb River Road Ride in May this year. Yit and her colleagues from the WA Remote Eye Program formed two teams who nominated Equal Health and WA Police Legacy as their charities.

The bike ride event saw thousands of dollars raised for the cause. Yit says people were still donating during the ride and after the event had taken place.

The two teams and a support driver travelled over 700 kilometres along the Kimberley super-highway of the Gibb River Road to raise awareness and money for the charities. On their trip the teams camped at various stations and experienced life in remote Australia.

"The conditions were fantastic after the region had seen significant rainfall the week before the event, making the roads perfect to ride along, despite the occasional exceptionally wide river," Yit said.

The event will again be held in 2011 - for more information visit The Gibb Challenge website.

The team consisted of:

Team

Rosemary Austen - Optometrist, Eye Program
Yit Benfield - Optometrist, Eye Program
Gary Crerie - Optometrist, Eye Program
Tony Martella - WA State Director, Optometrist Association Australia
Lynda McClurg - Partner
Peter McClurg - Optometrist, Eye Program
Margie O'Neill - Coordinator of Kimberley and Pilbara Eye Program
Glen Taylor - Optical Dispenser
Angus Turner - Ophthalmologist
Kim Walker - Partner
Madeleine Whiting - formerly of Optometry Giving Sight