Today marked the third running of the Big Freeze Slide in Ulverstone where 25 well know locals took to the Ulverstone Waterslide to raise awareness and funds for the Fight MND Foundation.
Lining up first for the freezing slide was Grant and Max Maynard who are long term supporters of the Ulverstone Football Club.
Max Maynard was also part of the crew that built the waterslide in 1982 and when asked how he was feeling about the upcoming slide he said all right, all right, yeah.
“I’m more worried about getting up there because I’ve got a stiff leg, I’ve had multiple knee operations and yeah,” said Max.
“I’ve been down a heap of times. Heap of times, yeah, really, but not of late, when we built it. And when we built it, you know, I can remember there was a bloody queue up right back to the end of the road back here, as far as you could see to go down.”
Other special guests included AFLW Giants player Megan Gaffney, NWBU champion, and current Devonport captain Paige French, former Australian Champion Boxer Dylan Hardy, and many more.
A surprise guest was Premier of Tasmania Jeremy Rockliff who was keen to take to the slide for his first time.
“Yeah, first time, but I’ve known about the cause for a long, long time, and a very good cause it is,” said Premier Rockliff.
“It was cool. The sun’s out, but that’s the coldest waterside I’ve ever been on. We got through it.
“Yeah, Simon’s been keen to get me for a few years, so yeah, happy to go again [next year].
“Anything that can promote some awareness, first and foremost, and then of course fundraising following that is very, very important. We’ve got to do all we can to fight it,” he said.
The event saw big numbers of support from the community with MND merchandise selling out and a live auction for a donated firepit from TAS Steel Solutions.
Jakub Lehman from Harcourts Ulverstone & Penguin, sponsor and event organizer said Absolutely enormous numbers.
“It’s been great, and like all the support from the Ulverstone community in general, the sponsors that have jumped on board as well,” said Jakub.
“You know, without those guys, we can’t make these sorts of events happen, and like the members of the public, their support, liking, sharing, donating the event, absolutely fantastic.”
To add to the already cold water was one ton of ice which was donated for the event.
“We had, actually, we had 500 kilos donated from the Goodstone Group, and we had 500 kilos donated from Cradle Coast Hire,” said Jakub.
“Jake Williams and the boys also lent their trailers. Once again, without those guys, we can’t make the event happen either.”
Durning the event the Lions Club made a special donation to help with the fundraising effort of the day.
“The Lions Club, on behalf of Andrew Johnson, who’s unfortunately being diagnosed with MND, made that hefty donation of $5000, which is, so generous,” Jakub said.
Final fundraising numbers are yet to be totalled.
