Out of hundreds of Victorian towns and cities, Cobram and Barooga has found itself sitting in the top ten in the order of communities that have donated the most to the Royal Children’s Hospital.

With a glance at some of the individuals and families behind this year’s appeal, it may be easy to see why the community has raised over $10,600 and made it to sixth place in the town rankings.

Victoria Paterson and her partner Dominic Youd decided to start their own Good Friday Appeal to give back to the RCH after their five-year-old son, Benji Youd, was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy last year.

Their appeal’s initial fundraising goal was $2500 - no mean sum in today’s cost-of-living crisis.

However, their appeal quickly passed that target.

It took another two weeks to pass their new target of $5000, which led Victoria to again raise their target to $7500.

On Thursday, April 19 that target was also knocked over flat.

Passing $9000 before Good Friday, Benji’s appeal had reached a massive $10,493.19 by Monday, April 21.

“I just want to say a big thank-you to everyone who donated, especially to Trikki Kidz who did such a good job organising the Easter Egg raffle,” Victoria said.

Trikki Kidz Early Learning Group on William St raised $2,254 from its Easter raffle, which was combined with Benji’s fundraiser and donated to the Good Friday Appeal.

Victoria was shocked as target after target was hit.

“I was nervous to do the initial goal of $2500. I just didn’t know how people were going to respond to it,” she said.

“Every time we put that goal up, I had that same nervous feeling of being greedy almost.

“But all my friends and family encouraged me and said it was a good cause.”

Victoria and Dominic have explained to Benji what it all means.

“I think his response was, ‘that’s so many dollars!’” Victoria said.

Looking ahead, Victoria and Dominic haven’t settled on a particular project, but will definitely hold another appeal next Easter.

“At the moment, we’re trying to brainstorm what to do next year to go bigger and better,” Victoria said.

Meanwhile, young Cobram CFA brigade volunteer Dom Thompson, 13, exceeded his own fundraising target for the RCH this Easter.

For the last several months, Dom collected used soft drink cans and glass bottles and cashed them in at the FOOTT CDS centre in Cobram, with the money raised going into the Cobram CFA’s collective appeal.

Setting himself a target of $500, Dom had already raised $400 by the end of March.

But didn’t he expect to raise as much as $637.50 for his efforts by Good Friday.

“We hit a new record which was great,” he said.

“It’s the largest amount I’ve raised in a year so far.”

On Good Friday, he joined his fellow brigade members to shake the can at the Cobram - Barooga bridge, and went door-to-door at the Oasis and Green Palms Villages.

When he was younger, Dom suffered a broken arm after a car crash.

“I just know it’s good to give back to these things,” he said.

Dom has already started collecting his cans and bottles for next year’s Good Friday Appeal.

“Everybody has a different way they want to help out,” he said.

“But as long as everyone helps out just a little, it improves the lives of so many people.”

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Sunday, 1st June 2025

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