WHILE the world hunkers down in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, life goes on - and the missions to save lives continue for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.
Richard Jones, the service's CEO for Northern NSW, said between the three bases the team operated, about 400 missions had been flown so far this year.
Since the start of March, when the impact of the pandemic began to press hard on everyday activities, the service has undertaken more than 200 missions.
"It's been pretty busy, and inter-hospital transfers have been a big part of our business," Mr Jones said.
Yet keeping the choppers in the air is expensive. Each mission costs about $4000 an hour. The service's annual operating budget is about $42 million, and approximately $12 million of that comes from sponsorship and fundraising.
A highlight of the service's local fundraising calendar is the Hunter Rescue Ball, when 1500 people pay about $190 each to dress up and dig deep. Last year's ball netted about $220,000 for the service.
This year's ball, scheduled for Friday night at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre, was cancelled because of the restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
"That's our major and most significant fundraiser, so it was a real flattener," Mr Jones said.
What's more, support groups and other ventures raising money for the service were also put on hold because of COVID-19. The service has had to come up with other ways to "fill the hole" in the budget.
There may not be dining and dancing in the name of a good cause on Friday night, but the Rescue Ball's online auction and raffle roll on.
More than 80 goods and services are up for auction. The items include accommodation, wine and dining packages, jewellery and clothing, flights, cruises and sailing events, along with a "Svitzer Tug Boat Experience" on Newcastle Harbour.
The auction is open until 9pm Friday.
A Volkswagen Polo car is also being raffled, with tickets $10 each. The car raffle will be drawn in August.
"The more people who get involved, the better," Mr Jones said. "A little bit from a lot of people makes a big difference."
Indeed, Mr Jones is hoping the community gets involved on Friday by slipping into their finest clothes and connecting virtually with friends, and with the service, from 6.30pm at www.facebook.com/therescueball. As well as the auction, there will be a "best dressed" competition online for what the service has dubbed #FormalFriday.
In promoting the event, the service has said, "This is the perfect excuse to pull something dressy out of the wardrobe or at the very least change your tracksuit pants and brush your hair!!".
Richard Jones said even though this year's ball had been cancelled, every one of the donors involved with the raffle and auction offered for the items to be still used to raise money for the service.
He said some of those who had bought tickets for the ball declined receiving a refund, instead donating the money to the helicopters.
"That's the sort of community we live in," he said.
To bid for an auction item or buy a raffle ticket, go to: ttps://app.galabid.com/rescueball/items
