Lexus Melbourne Cup visits Ronald McDonald House Parkville

The $750,000 18-carat-gold Lexus Melbourne Cup trophy visited Ronald McDonald House for a special event aimed at raising awareness for the Victoria Racing Club's 2024 Pin & Win charity partner. 

The 2024 Pin & Win initiative hopes to raise more than $500,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria and Tasmania (RMHC VIC & TAS) through the sale of the iconic souvenir pins.  

The event included a tour of Ronald McDonald House, a panel discussion with Michelle Payne and Elly Wicks and an all-important opportunity for the children and families staying at Ronald McDonald Houses in Victoria to get close to and hold the People’s Cup.

Michelle Payne was the first and is the only female jockey to win the Lexus Melbourne Cup.

She said this morning’s event was a wonderful opportunity to bring joy to families often weighed down by illness.

“The work delivered by Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria and Tasmania to keep families together is so important,” Ms Payne said.

“It was an honour to meet some of the families staying at Ronald McDonald House Parkville, and the incredible staff who support them. It is really moving to see the scope of work and the joy and comfort it gives to the kids and their families.

“I encourage anyone who wants to support Ronald McDonald House Charities to buy a Lexus Melbourne Cup pin this year. This will help continue the wonderful support needed for the families and their seriously ill children.

“It was a special moment for me to be part of the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour.”

Carla Robinson, who has stayed at Ronald McDonald Houses a number of times since her five-year-old son Koa was born nine weeks premature in 2019, said she was amazed at how heavy the Cup was.

“It was such a privilege to hold the Cup and get to meet Michelle, she is one of my personal idols as the first female Lexus Melbourne Cup winner, so it was a wonderful honour.

“Our family lives in Portland, Victoria, about 120km from Warrnambool, and it takes about six hours to get to Melbourne for Koa’s medical appointments. Now that Koa is a five-year-old, the House has become somewhere he is really familiar with, so when we come here it relieves some of his anxiety.

“So if you can, buy a pin and help all the families allow their children to get the medical care they need, regardless of where they live in Australia – it’s really important that we show our support.”

Ronald McDonald House Charities provides free 'home away from home' supportive accommodation to families with seriously ill children receiving paediatric treatment in hospitals in Victoria & Tasmania.  More than 2,000 families benefit from RMHC VIC & TAS accommodation each year. Through the Pin & Win partnership, RMHC VIC & TAS will be aiming to raise a record amount which will cover 3,500 nights of accommodation.

The 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup souvenir pins are available for purchase online at vrc.com.au and at all Flemington race days and events. Lexus Melbourne Cup pins sell for $10 each while the diamante horseshoe pins are $15, with every purchase offering the chance to win more than $188,000 in prizes including a brand-new Lexus.

Established in 1995, the Pin & Win initiative provides a platform for charities to raise funds via the sale of souvenir Lexus Melbourne Cup pins. The initiative has now raised well over $8 million for Australian charities to help change lives and support our community.

Since its inaugural journey in 2003, the Melbourne Cup Tour has travelled over one million kilometres, visiting more than 640 destinations to unite communities and provide a once-in-life-time opportunity to get up close and experience the magic of the People’s Cup. This includes visiting 482 schools, 401 hospitals and aged care facilities, participating in over 2100 community events and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for local fundraising initiatives.

For further information about the 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour please visit MelbourneCupTour.com.au.