Bcf

As part of their ongoing commitment as community sponsor of the Queensland State Emergency Services (SES), outdoor retailer BCF - Boating, Camping and Fishing has raised more than $50,000 through its in-store "round-up" initiative. Since March 2009, BCF has been working closely with the SES to help provide funding and attract more volunteers to the organisation, a partnership BCF Manager Ben McConnell said the outdoor retailer's team was really getting behind in support of the Service. "The BCF 'round-up' initiative involves dedicated BCF team members across our 23 Queensland stores asking customers if they would like to round-up their purchase price to an even dollar figure - to any value they nominate - providing a donation to Queensland SES," Mr McConnell said. "Our customers at the BCF Virginia, Gold Coast, Townsville and Gladstone stores have led the way by contributing significantly to the overall donations, highlighting their strong community commitment and proving that every donation helps." Executive Director of Emergency Management Queensland Frank Pagano said the money raised from the BCF community sponsorship program would significantly assist the SES to purchase equipment crucial to the day-to-day operations of its volunteers. "The SES is volunteer driven, with the vast majority of our male and female crew selflessly giving up their own time to help those in need, as we have seen a number of times in Queensland already this year," Mr Pagano said. "This community partnership with BCF is helping to support our volunteers and the vital service they provide every Queenslander. "The Department is delighted to work with an organisation such as BCF that understands the importance of volunteering and community safety," he said. People all throughout Queensland are able to donate money to the SES simply by rounding-up the value of their transaction to any price they nominate. All contributions received through the BCF community sponsor support program are delivered to the Queensland SES. In addition to financial aid, BCF is also serving an important role in raising awareness of the Service, encouraging volunteering through their extensive customer network and playing host to local SES fundraising, demonstrations and recruitment events.