7 July 2020: Richmond-based fitness business, Tailored Fitness Solutions, has harnessed the power of sweat to raise and donate an impressive $10,000 to Bendigo Bank’s National Bushfire Disaster Appeal.
Following this summer’s devastating bushfires, Sam Dawson, Personal Trainer and Owner of Tailored Fitness Solutions, was inspired to commit to raising an ambitious $10,000 to help those most impacted by the Black Summer blazes.
Sam operates his Personal Training business from private facilities and a gym in Richmond. Specialising in one-on-one, personalised training and fitness, Sam decided to donate 25 per cent of his personal training fees to the Bank’s National Bushfire Disaster Appeal and encouraged his clients to also make donations to his audacious fundraising bid.
Making A Difference
“Having witnessed the scale of the destruction caused by the bushfires this summer, I really wanted to do something positive and meaningful to support those communities affected across the country,” Mr Dawson said.
“So, from 6 January, I set a $10,000 target and decided to donate a quarter of all personal training fees to aid bushfire relief. I’ve been overwhelmed by the level of support I’ve received from all my clients and would like to especially thank all those who made direct donations to the fundraising push.”
Despite the challenges associated with running a new, start up business during a pandemic, Sam was single-minded in his determination to achieve his $10,000 fundraising target.
David Impey, CEO, Community Enterprise Foundation said Sam’s fundraising efforts had been exceptional and that 100 per cent of funds raised would go directly to provide continual and long-term support to those most in need. Sam’s donation will be directed towards projects with a health and wellbeing focus.
“On behalf of Community Enterprise Foundation and everyone at Bendigo Bank, I would like to thank Sam Dawson for his amazing fundraising efforts,” Mr Impey said.
“Despite only recently establishing his own fitness business and having to deal with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sam’s commitment and dedication to raising funds for those Australians adversely impacted by the fires has been inspirational.”
To date, the bushfire disaster appeals – conducted by Bendigo Bank’s charitable arm, Community Enterprise Foundation – has raised more than $44 million for fire impacted communities across the country.
30 per cent of funds raised have already been made available and distributed to a range of organisations working with local communities in their recovery, including; The Salvation Army, the Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund, BlazeAid, Windermere Child & Family Services, The Man From Snowy River Festival, Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency Co-Op, Moogji Aboriginal Council East Gippsland Inc and Gippsland & East Gippsland Aboriginal Co-Op. The remaining funds will be targeted for medium to long-term community-led recovery initiatives.
