Camp Quality Escarpade participants prepare to hit the road after breakfast during their stop in Moree. Photo: Moree Online News
Moree’s Lions Club served breakfast and local businesses supplied the food as Camp Quality’s colourful esCarpade convoy prepared to leave Jellicoe Park on Friday morning.
The 70 vehicles and 170 participants had spent Thursday night in town during a seven-day fundraising journey through regional Queensland and NSW. By Friday morning, Camp Quality reported they had raised $1,149,767, passing their $1.1 million target before the rally’s finish at Tweed Heads on Saturday.
Participants stayed across Moree’s motels and caravan parks and gathered at the Amaroo Tavern for a “Flying High” themed dress-up dinner. Before they returned to the road, the Lions cooked breakfast with food donated by South Moree Butchery, Reado’s Meats, Coles and Woolworths.
For Grant Cox, who told Moree Online News he had been taking part for 12 years, the costumes and old cars were part of something deeply personal. His crew’s car, Courageous Corey, was named in memory of his daughter’s best friend.
Mr Cox said Corey had a heart transplant at four and later developed cancer. After his death at 13, the crew wanted to keep his name alive while supporting Camp Quality, of which Corey had been a member.
“When Corey passed at the age of 13, we decided we need to continue his legacy, giving back to such a great organisation in his name,” Mr Cox said.
Corey loved monster trucks, giving the motoring adventure another connection to the boy behind the car’s name. This year, however, an electrical fault kept Courageous Corey at home.
Mr Cox said he joined the officials as a photographer instead, while his son supplied drone footage for Camp Quality. The change of role kept them involved in a group he described as a family, bound by both the cause and the work of keeping ageing cars on the road.
Crews spend months fundraising and preparing their vehicles. Once the rally begins, Mr Cox said, mechanics and fellow entrants work together to get them through.
“So any entrant will help any entrant to help get to the finish line,” he said.
The roughly 3,000km journey also takes Camp Quality’s Cancer Education Program Puppets to schools along the route, including remote schools the program would otherwise miss.
Camp Quality chief executive Deborah Thomas said regional stops were central to the event.
“Regional communities are such an important part of esCarpade, and stops in towns such as Rowena and Moree are what make this event so special. The warmth and generosity we experience along the way is incredible, with locals welcoming our colourful convoy and getting behind our mission to support kids and families facing cancer.”
Camp Quality supports children aged up to 15 affected by their own cancer diagnosis or that of a sibling, parent or carer. Its services include camps, family getaways, counselling and online support.
Each esCarpade car has a minimum fundraising commitment of $5,000. Participants cover their own travel and vehicle costs separately from the money raised for the charity, with entrants required to drive cars at least 20 years old, other than first-timers bringing their own car.
After their overnight stay on Thursday, October 29, the convoy left Jellicoe Park at about 8.30am on Friday, heading for Inverell and Tenterfield.
