NELSON Bay Golf Club hosted a special charity game day on Sunday, 17 November, to raise funds for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service (WRHS).

A total of 59 teams descended on the course in perfect weather conditions, raising an impressive $50,000 for the service.

“Every year we have our biggest fund-raiser ‘The Angel Billy Golf Classic’ at Nelson Bay Golf Club, and this year was a huge success,” said WRHS Port Stephens Support Group’s Mandy Dwyer.

Port Stephens Toyota was the primary sponsor, donating a Toyota Corolla Hybrid vehicle as a Hole-in-One prize.

No one was lucky enough though to drive it home.

The WRHS provides emergency aeromedical services 24/7 for the people of Northern NSW, including search and rescue and inter-hospital transfers.

The Hunter service has been operating since 1975 and there are presently four AW139 helicopters operating from three bases at Newcastle, Tamworth and Lismore, servicing 1.5 million people from the Hawkesbury River, north to the Queensland border.

A spokesperson for WRHS said, “Our experienced operations team conduct a myriad of missions from flights for babies who are just moments old, through to people requiring specialist medical treatment or trauma assistance, search and rescues in the bush or out at sea, and winch extractions from tough terrain.

“Each mission we fly is only made possible because of the generosity from our community”.

For more information on the WRHS visit rescuehelicopter.com.au/

By Simon EKINS