A GRIFFITH charity has been blown away by the kindness of one resident who left them $400,000 in her will.
Mrs Lavelle Wallace of Yenda left the incredible sum to Griffith’s Country Hope Foundation when she passed away in September 2014.
Office coordinator and family liaison officer for Country Hope Bev Devery said she had been shocked and overwhelmed when Mrs Wallace’s solicitors informed her of the donation.
“We were just absolutely delighted, amazed, astounded,” she said.
“I just could not believe that someone could be so very, very generous.”
Ms Devery, who sees firsthand the good work done by Country Hope in helping children with cancer and other life threatening illnesses every day, said she had been moved to tears by the news.
“Obviously Mrs Wallace had a big regard for children and she wanted them to have a better chance at life,” she said.
“I see the effects of what donations like this do every day, and I know how much this will help us to keep on helping children into the future and I just could not say enough how grateful we are.
“I never met Mrs Wallace, but from what people told me she was a very shy person who was extremely kind-hearted and generous, and I think that is obvious by what she has done.”
Ms Devery said it was a condition of the donation that the money remain in the Griffith area, a stipulation she says she will have no trouble meeting.
“There is no shortage of things that we could do with this money, as an organisation we will use it to further and build on the work we already do,” she said.
“At the moment we are helping about 30 children in the area and their families and so this will help to pay for things like doctors visits, and if they have to travel to get the care they need it will help with flights and accommodation.
"It will also help with household bills because some parents lose their jobs while having to be with their children as well as tutoring, counselling, camps and even special equipment so the children can be at home with their families and not in hospital.”
Ms Devery said while the money would put the organisation in a secure position they would continue to fund raise so that they could maintain their essential work into the future.
“It’s good to have some money saved but it is important to us that we keep getting the word out there so people know about us and what we do,” she said.
