World's Greatest Shave

*** UPDATE ***

Following the success of RTS’s participation in the Worlds Greatest Shave fundraiser held on Saturday the 17th March, $7,222.00 that was raised by staff, family, customers and suppliers of RTS was recently handed over to the Leukaemia Foundation. Pictured at the cheque handover is (L-R) is Paul Tye (RTS Workshop Manager); Carmel Excel (Leukaemia Founbdation); Paul Rodney (Logistics Manager, RTS) and Peter Rodney (RTS Company Director).

On Saturday the 17th March, staff, family and friends of RTS took the plunge and shaved and coloured as part of the Leukaemia Foundation's annual World's Greatest Shave!

The motivation for our company participation came from Paul Tye our Workshop Manager and his wife Tanya who were inspired following the diagnosis of a dear friend with cancer - an experience that most of us could relate to. The immediate response from our Company Director, Peter Rodney was why not? What do we need to do? When do we need to do it? And so the momentum had started and the fundraising ball was rolling....... We decided to incorporate a family day so that fun could be had by all!!!

With just a little over 2 weeks to plan and execute our involvement in this very important and worthwhile cause, the staff swung into action.

RTS registered with the Leukaemia Foundation to legitmately participate in the event; flyers were given to all the staff; memos were sent to customers and supplier; posters were placed all over the RTS depot; friends, family and anyone else who could be mustered into donating was approahced; the barby was dusted off; the jumping castle booked and the lolly bags filled!!!

The 17th March arrived and an enclosed area at the Bomen depot was whipped into a more friendly environment for people to use for the event. Harold Bradbury, Narelle Prince, Kevin and Jane Barnes, Paul, Tanya and Chris Tye and Mathew McKay swept; dusted; moved pallets; ran power; disguised freight; spruced up the truck to be used as the stage and put up the signs.

The event was staged to commence at 3.00pm and it was thought that there would be around 20 in total having either a shave or a colour. But it's amazing how we can all get swept up in the emotion of a worthy cause so that by around 5.00pm there had been 20 head shaves, 1 beard shave, 1 beard to a moustache shave and around 30 colours - an absolutely fantastic result.

But even more exciting and unbelievable was the amount of money raised!! Our extraordinary staff enticed close to $7,000.00 in donations for the Leukaemia Foundation - an astonishing amount by any standards, but given this amount was pledged in just 2 and half weeks is truly incredible.

Particular mention needs to be made of Paul Tye for getting RTS involved in the first instance and his tireless commitment once the decision to participate on this event was made. In addition Harold Bradbury, a driver in our Bulk Division was not only the first staff member to brave the razor....he individually raised over $500.00! Not to be outdone, the General Division was magnificently represented by Rodney Dyer who was the only one to go the 'whole hog' by having a Number 1 followed by a razor shave to both his head and his beard - now that's fearless! Furthermore, the afternoon could not have happended had Murray Rynehart (local Barber) not generously offerd his services for all of the shaves

To see just how much fun it was, have a look at the slide show on this page and if you're considering getting involved in a fundraiser, take it from us at RTS - it is worthwhile to put in a little effort because the reward is substantial!

To everyone who came along a very big thank-you - 'cause without you, none of it would have been possible.

Peter Rodney
Company Director