With a staggering donation of $300,001, Menai Haulage once again has the honour of lead truck in the i98FM Illawarra Convoy which is being held on Sunday, November 19.
As he did last year, young Nate Deushain, who is battling leukaemia, will again ride up front with the best seat in the house.
The lead truck auction held today (November 16) raised over $1.9 million for the Illawarra Community Foundation before an engine even starts.
Other impressive donations included an amazing $261,000 from Tiny Tins and Wollongong Crane Trucks, $100,000 from RMK Group, plus $84,000 from Wollongong Car Carriers and Best Sheds and $80,000 from Murrells Freight Lines.
Coles, for the third straight year, topped the Lead Motorbike bids with a massive $252,000 raised. This was followed by Throttle Jockies with $83,000 and Motocity with $53,126.53.
The total amount raised from the Lead Truck and Motorbike Auctions is $ $1,913,167.22 which brings the total amount raised from the i98FM Illawarra Convoy over the past 19 years to $23,534,649.58.
This weekend will be the first time in four years that the event will be back in its full capacity (with the free Family Fun Day), after being affected by Covid-19 and severe weather conditions in recent years.
The Convoy will depart under police escort from South 32’s West Cliff Colliery on Appin Road at approximately 8.15am with the route taking them down Mt Ousley, through Warrawong and past Stockland Shellharbour before finishing up at the free Family Fun Day at Shellharbour Airport in Albion Park Rail.
Registered motorbikes will begin arriving from 9.15am with the trucks following at approximately 10am and will continue throughout the day.
Ricki-Lee and Thirsty Merc will headline this year’s Family Fun Day with performances by local bands, Kye’s FMX Jam and Eljay’s Junkyard Action Show. There will be rides for the kids, market and food stalls as well as the Cars for Convoy display. i98FM (98.1) will be broadcasting the event live from 6am.
All funds raised from the i98FM Illawarra Convoy go directly to the Illawarra Community Foundation which helps families affected by life threatening illnesses.
To date, the Illawarra Community Foundation has provided financial assistance to over 500 families throughout the Illawarra and South Coast. The Foundation has also contributed over $4.3 million to the recently completed Wollongong Hospital’s Children’s Ward redevelopment.