Icy dunk raises $18,500 for FightMND

By Faith Macale

Jun 24, 2024

Seymour’s Coles team members endured an icy bath in front of the community as they raised money for motor neurone disease research.

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Team members and representatives from district businesses stepped into the ice-filled pool with enthusiasm, ready to get dunked in icy water for FightMND.

Coles Seymour manager Caz Watson (right) and Annette Barnes (left) took the lead in getting dunked. Photo by Faith Macale

Coles store manager Caz Watson was the first to get dunked.

“We had a good turnout with the local community, some team and some local people from the local community as well, so absolutely amazing,” she said.

“The team got dunked, they got wet, they got cold.”

Participants kicked off the day with a group photo before getting dunked. Photo: Faith Macale Photo by Faith Macale

Seymour team member Morgan Carroll-Keats asked the crowd how his hair was as he got dunked with ice-cold water.

“The mullet’s great. It loves a bit of water, it goes all nice and curly,” he said.

“I’m gonna be looking good for the rest of my shift.”

Coles worker Morgan Carroll-Keats gets his mullet drenched in cold water. Photo by Faith Macale

Seymour Coles’ Big Freeze Ice Dunk Challenge was sponsored by businesses around town, which rallied their support for the cause.

“We wanted to get the community a lot more involved this year,” Ms Watson said.

“They do every year, but a little bit more on a personal level.

“We had the pool donated by Toyworld, we had the ice donated by Coles at Liquorland just over the road, as well as North Central Hire was able to donate our microphone and our PA system today.

“It's really special that they were able to do that.”

Everyone came dressed up as penguins, wore animal onesies, or just donned as many blue garments as possible.

Bryce Lambert (left) from Victory Meats and Maddy Boddington from K-Hub supported Seymour Coles's FightMND fundraiser by getting dunked. Photo by Faith Macale

Victory Meats and Puckapunyal Ranger Control also sent representatives to get dunked.

Bryce Lambert from Victory Meats said he was willing to get dunked again if given the chance.

“It was beautiful,” he said.

“I loved it, it was a great time.

“Thank you guys for such great support.”

Glenn Watson (left) and Rodney Carbis from Puckapunyal Ranger Control are dunked with ice water. Photo by Faith Macale

Glenn Watson and Rodney Carbis from Puckapunyal Ranger Control said they were happy to support the fundraising.

“It’s very good fun to get there (getting dunked),” Mr Watson said.

“It’s a good cause. They need all the help they can get because research has to be done for that.”

Mr Carbis was thankful to everyone who showed up and donated.

“Thank you so much to everyone who showed up, especially to Coles getting behind it,” he said.

Mel Carbis in her penguin outfit (right) gets dunked alongside her daughter, Vicky. Photo by Faith Macale

Coles Seymour has currently raised about $18,500, with more to count from the event’s donation bucket.

“We’ll see how we go for today, but ‘whatever’ is just absolutely amazing and all 100 per cent proceeds go to MND, so every little cent helps,” Ms Watson said.

“We are a little bit down on last year, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to come back bigger and better next year.”

Ms Watson said she was thankful for the community’s support.

“I just want to say a huge thank you to, you know, not only to Coles and the team and the people that did get iced and dunked, but for everybody that got involved, the volunteers that helped put this together,” she said.

“The community that came down and cheered us on and got a little bit rowdy ... the time that they give us is just absolutely amazing.”