While much of Australia was in lockdown on Jeans for Genes Day – some of CMRI’s regional fundraising committees were able to save the day and hold extraordinary events that raised a huge amount of awareness and funds for our work.

One of the largest fundraising events was held by the Mudgee Committee who have surpassed $107,000 in a town of 12,000 residents.

They started out by working with a local agency, Social Focus, who donated their services to make their own Jeans for Genes video which shared the stories of local children living with genetic disease. The message was very simple – let’s do it for the Mudgee kids!

They shared the video on social media, put up posters around town, and made sure everything pointed people to their online fundraising page with a QR code that people could scan with their phones and donate directly into their account.

Local businesses got involved, making blue hamburgers, selling blue cocktails; local trainers held fundraising fitness classes, bakeries donated cakes to be sold at a street stall, and heaps of donations of goods and vouchers were made for their one big event at a local estate.

Committee spokesperson, Summer Land, said the Mudgee community responded to the local focus.

“From Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 to Cystic Fibrosis and Medulloblastoma, the kids we featured in our campaign are facing daily hurdles no one should have to face,’’ she said.

“While Jeans for Genes is a national campaign that helps children from Tassie to the NT, our hyper-local approach made people realise that childhood diseases do not discriminate. In fact, you don't have to go far to realise just how many people are directly affected, even in idyllic pockets of regional NSW.’’

Canberra Committee held an event at The Hellenic Club and raised more than $35,000 from a formal dinner, band, live auction, raffles and much more which they described as an “amazing result’’.

One of the regional committees, who were fortunate not to have COVID restrictions, was the Quirindi Committee. They set up a Jeans for Genes stall in a local store in Gunnedah and sold cupcakes and accepted donations.

In Gerringong, they were able to hold a trivia night at the Gerroa Fisherman’s Club with 100 people. They had donation boxes on each table and raffle prizes including the main raffle prize being a denim quilt.

The small but powerful Goulburn Committee worked hard to get Jeans for Genes celebrated at 18 schools across the district who raised more than $9,000 together!