Club bikers lend Dan a hand
YAMBA man Dan Lilley is one step closer to becoming more mobile thanks to the South Grafton Ex Services Motorcycle Club.
Mr Lilley was diagnosed with Becker's muscular dystrophy when he was five years old; the degenerative muscle disorder resulted in him becoming wheelchair-bound at age 18.
Now in his 40s, Mr Lilley is finding it increasingly hard to travel with his wheelchair and is attempting to raise money for a special van which would allow him to stay in his wheelchair to travel, rather than having to load and unload it into the family car every time.
Earlier this year, Yamba fitness trainer Dane Mitchell raised money for Mr Lilley through a fitness challenge and the South Grafton Ex Services Motorcycle Club decided to join the fundraising effort.
Yesterday club representative Bruce Rankin presented Mr Lilley with $3500, the proceeds of a fundraising motocross race meet held at the club's Gnudwoc Park track on July 22.
"We had huge support on the day from the motocross community on the North Coast," Mr Rankin said.
"We had a heap of riders from all around the North Coast who turned up and rode and donated money."
Mr Rankin said money was collected through gold coin entry fees to the park, a mystery auction and donations from local businesses.
The money will now be pooled with the funds being raised by Mr Mitchell to help Mr Lilley buy his van which is estimated to cost between $20,000 and $30,000 second-hand.
He said Mr Lilley's plight had struck a chord with members of the motorcycle club and they were only too eager to help out.
"Mobility is something we really take for granted. The time it takes for us to get in the car, go down the street for groceries and come back, it takes Dan that long just to get down the street," he said.
"So anything that can make somebody's life easier is a good thing."
