When her twins Ruby and Carla were born premature at 31 weeks, Melissa Gahan said it was a surprise that she wasn’t prepared for. But thanks to a humidicrib and the care of Lismore Base Hospital staff in the special care nursery, the twins, now two years old, are thriving.

So, when this year’s NAB Darryl Chapman Fun Run was on for the Our Kids charity to raise money to buy another hospital humidicrib, Melissa got a team together.

Her Team Twinnies went on to raise $2,340 and win a trophy for raising the most money in the NAB Community Challenge.

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Melissa’s twins featured in the 2020 Our Kids calendar earlier this year.

“My twins spent the first four weeks of life in a humidicrib, so raising money for Our Kids is close to my heart so they can purchase another one,” Melissa said.

Team Twinnies was one of 277 teams registered in this year’s fun run – which for the first time, went virtual due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Team DCFR: Rebecca Kent, NAB, Denis Byrne, Graeme Hoskins, Rebekka Battista, Suzette Pearce and Nigel Rumble.

Virtual fun run

This year, there was no big event where the streets of Lismore were shut down for hundreds of runners and walkers – instead participants registered online, nominated their own distance and chose walking, cycling, horse riding and even rowing dragon boats to go the distance.

Melissa said this year she chose to run 10 kilometres over two 5 km runs and got her friends and family involved too.

Denis Byrne one of the top fundraisers with Graeme Hoskins from the Lord Taverners.

“I have a friend who grew up in Lismore who is now in London and he ran 42 kilometres for it,’ she said. "We also had a Facebook group ad uploaded pictures to keep each other motivated. One friend did her run in Toowoomba.

“When we won the trophy, the twins were passing it back and forth with big grins on their faces.”

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Holly Irwin one of the top fundraisers.

Humidicrib

Our Kids fundraising coordinator Rebekka Battista said in total, Our Kids raised $41,000 and will now be able to buy a special BabyLeo humidicrib, costing $50,000, for the local hospital.

“The success was due to local individuals and businesses rallying their networks and asking people to contribute to the cause,” she said. “This included a ‘call to action’ day from NAB, the naming sponsor, which alone raised over $9,500.”

Rebekka said the unusual format for the virtual event allowed people to expand it in ways she’d never thought about.

NAB Corporate Challenge AMPT Fitness, led by Ashleigh McGuiness.

Dragonboats

“Amazingly, the Rainbow Dragonboats in Ballina did the distance on the water with about 14 people in two boats,” she said. “The reach has been far and wide.

“Some Lismore ex-pats in Melbourne lockdown did it - they were allowed to go out for an hour, 5 kms from their houses, so they took their time and went out did it for Our Kids.

Samantha Foster one of the top fundraisers

Future hybrid

Rebekka said last year there were 630 runners, and this year 617 people donated money.

“We had about the same amount of engagement so it was a success,” she said.

“We will continue to do a hybrid model of the event even when we can get back to putting on a community event and shut down the street, so people can still join in wherever they are throughout the week.

“We wouldn’t have looked at that before. We are so surprised how much we made and we are proud of our beautiful community – especially in light of Covid and the impact it has had on our community and local charities who have had to change the way they do business.

“Donating means this humidicrib will continue to positively impact on families in years to come.”

Naming partners from NAB Bank, Rebecca Kent and Nigel Rumble.

Winners

Rebekka said this year’s leaderboard was based on highest fundraising amounts, rather than the first across the finish line.

The 2020 fundraising results were: 

NAB Corporate Challenge: 

1st place: AMPT Fitness Team 

2nd place: O’Brien Electrical and Plumbing Lismore 

3rd Place: Summit Fitness 

NAB Community Challenge: 

1st place: Team Twinnies 

2nd place: Summerland Christian College Run Club 

3rd Place: Team Ballina 

Highest Individual Fundraisers: 

1st place: Angela Grayndler from team O’Brien Electrical and Plumbing Lismore

2nd place: Denis Byrne 

3rd Place: Holly Irwin from team Trevors Pals