ALMOST 100 passengers boarded the ‘Rainforest Rattler’ for the first of two CANDO! Cancer Trust dinner trips last Friday, January 6.

Guests wined, dined and chatted during a leisurely return trip to Grafton to support the Trust’s work in assisting local families affected by cancer.

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CANDO! committee member and trustee, Chris Hines, estimated that the dinner trip, and the second one, this evening, will raise $13,000.

He said almost all the revenue raised from the trips will go straight to the Trust, primarily because of the generous sponsorship from the North Coast Hotel Group and the Rail Motor Society.

Mr Hines and his wife, Kerry, began working with CANDO! twelve years ago.

After Mrs Hines passed away, Mr Hines took her place as a trustee as well as continuing his ‘behind the scenes’ work.

He said CANDO! is a genuine local charity that works with the North Coast Cancer Institute to support Coffs Coast families and patients in dealing with cancer.

It has given at least $800,000 back to the community.

The Trust has virtually no overheads, because local people and businesses donate goods, money and time.

Mr Hines, who is well-known on the Coffs Coast, stressed the importance of networking.

“If you want things done you have to know who to talk to,” he said.

The dinner rail trips are just a sample of the many fundraising activities conducted each year.

These include degustation dinners, bowls days at Woolgoolga and Sawtell, a ‘Rottnest island’ swim and ‘Brewers on the Beach’.

Auctions and raffles feature at all events.

“It’s amazing how often that people who have had support from us in tough times give back when things turn around for them,” Mr Hines said.

More information about how to support CANDO! is at candocancertrust.com.au and information about the ‘Rainforest Rattler’ is available at www.rainforestrattler.com.

By Andrew VIVIAN