The horse racing community in Warrnambool has shown amazing community spirit with its fundraising efforts for injured jockey, Louise Cooper.
Ms Cooper is paralysed from the chest down after falling off her horse in a race at Edenhope in March.
The Warrnambool Standard newspaper has been following her story closely since the accident, reporting on the support she has been receiving from her family, fellow riders and the community as a whole.
In June, a charity event raised over $20,000 for Ms Cooper, who has two young children and is now confined to a wheelchair.
"It was a great opportunity for the local community to get behind Louise," Camperdown Turf Club vice-president Gerard Ryan told the Standard on June 11.
"There was an overwhelming response with a lot of late donations of goods, services and cash," he added.
Further recent fundraising efforts have added to this total, with a charity auction on Saturday night (June 30) raising another $70,000 for Ms Cooper and her family.
The event was held at the Warrnambool racecourse. More than 200 people to open their wallets and pledge their support.
Husband Matt Cooper expressed his gratitude at the amazing efforts of the local community.
"I really don't know where to start because I'm just overwhelmed but I've got to thank the Warrnambool Racing Club and the organisers of the night," he told the Standard (July 2).
"It's just so amazing to see so many people have donated items for the auction and then on the other hand other people have been extremely generous to buy things."
Other communities across the country have also been getting behind important causes and charity organisations.
The Queanbeyan Netball Association in New South Wales has been working hard to raise money for kids with cancer.
Volunteers have been collecting gold coin donations at the netball courts, with young players getting into the fundraising spirit by attracting attention with crazy haircuts and brightly coloured socks.
On June 19, nearly $35,000 had been raised - and an extra $400 was collected about a week ago, thanks to an official Crazy Hair and Silly Sock fundraiser charity event.
Queanbeyan Netball senior chairperson Jodi Ross said the support from the community had been fantastic and she is pleased to see so many people donating to a good cause.
"Cancer is something that affects everyone," Ms Ross told the Queanbeyan Age on July 1.
"I think most people have had their lives touched by cancer at some point so with all the kids up here, we thought it was a worthy cause."
