Former Banana Shire cattle Farmer Ray Grace is a generous supporter of Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section). As a Biloela local, Ray has been in the back of a Flying Doctors’ aircraft three times, making the trip from Rockhampton to Brisbane for life saving heart treatment. This year Ray turns 90 – just one year younger than the Flying Doctor!
In 2017, to mark the RFDS’ appreciation, a Beechcraft King Air B350 aircraft was named the “Ray Grace”, and the aircraft has served the people of the Rockhampton area well, transporting more than 420 patients over 233,377 km and flying 670 hours in the second half of last year alone.
RFDS (Queensland Section) CEO Meredith Staib is keen to show the Service’s appreciation. “I had the pleasure of celebrating with Ray on his birthday last year. He is a very humble man who is motivated by his love of Queensland and his desire to improve the lives of his fellow Queenslanders.”
The RFDS receives Federal and State Government funding, but relies on support donors, along with corporate partnerships to raise the $15 million needed each year to purchase vital aviation and medical equipment, and to ensure ongoing specialist training for our highly qualified flight nurses and doctors.
Ray will be hosted at the Rockhampton base on Monday the 4th of March. Members of the Brisbane fundraising team, Carolyn Overy (manager of clinibase operations), aeromedical retrieval staff and members of the local RFDS auxiliary will be there to welcome him and celebrate Ray’s wonderful contribution to the lives and health of his fellow Queenslanders.
Contact:
Edwina Stott - Publicist
0447 286 038 / estott@rfdsqld.com.au
