The final day of the iconic Melbourne Cup Carnival, TAB Champions Stakes Day, often falls on or near Remembrance Day, with volunteers from neighbouring RSL Sub-Branches attending Flemington Racecourse to sell poppies, badges and other Poppy Appeal fundraising merchandise each year.
Last year, more than $42,000 was raised for RSL’s Poppy Appeal thanks to the generosity of racegoers.
VRC Chief Executive Officer Kylie Rogers said the club was pleased to make its long-standing support of the RSL Poppy Appeal a permanent feature of Cup Week.
“The VRC has a long history of supporting our armed forces at Flemington, from the First and Second World War when the racecourse was used as a training facility and parade ground for troops, through to the modern era where we host ANZAC Day Race Day each year,” Ms Rogers said.
“The annual Poppy Appeal is one of the RSL’s biggest fundraisers, helping to fund services like crisis accommodation and health and wellbeing programs for veterans and their families across the state.
“As the custodians of Australia’s original major event, the Melbourne Cup Carnival, we feel a responsibility to use our platform as a force for good, and we could think of no better way to round out Cup Week every year than by contributing to the success of the RSL’s Poppy Appeal.”
