Sixth edition of Big Freeze brings Lake Grace-Pingrup and Boxwood communities together to fight MND

Preparations have started for the sixth edition of the Great Southern’s annual Big Freeze event which is shared between the Lake Grace-Pingrup and Boxwood Hill football clubs. This year’s Big Freeze will be held at Lake Grace on Saturday, May 28, as the towns come together to raise money to fight motor neurone disease, a condition which has taken a terrible toll on the communities. The event has raised more than $300,000 in the past five years and next Saturday, 15 willing warriors from a variety of sports will take the icy plunge to again raise valuable funds. This year, organisers have put a dollar value on each of the sliders, with the stars to take the plunge once the total passes the target. The two highest-valued sliders were league football coaches Kelvin Holmes and Matt Bowen at $5000 each. This week the Big Freeze event’s fundraising total had already reached $7000, meaning all 15 sliders including Holmes and Bowen will take the plunge next Saturday. Joining the pair as sliders are Sam Collins, George Chircop, Jason Richter, Dean Carruthers, Tayla Stone, Briana Jones, Caitlin Walker, Nathan Felesnia, Georgia Gray, Sam Bertola, Shenae Bowen, Tyne Logan and Steve McWhirter. One of the event organisers, Brenden Desmond, said once again the support for the Big Freeze had been amazing. “Between both communities we have been devastated by this horrible disease,” Mr Desmond said. “At the moment we are at $7600, which is unreal and great support from both communities. “After the slide we have the auction where a lot of stuff is being donated already and there is more to come, from paintings from the local school kids to tickets to a box at an AFL game donated by local business.” Local band Bale Out will provide entertainment during the evening. Last year’s Big Freeze raised more than $60,000, with former AFL players Brett Peake and Mitch Morton sliding into the icy water. To donate, visit bit.ly/3wnZfXZ.