As the sun rose on Christmas Day The Examiner's Empty Stocking Appeal edged towards records heights.
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A $2000 donation from Rotary Club of Tamar Sunrise brought the current donation total to $110,000.
While the Club typically raises over $10,000 in large part due to hosting Launceston's Carols by Candlelight, the event was curtailed by COVID-19 restrictions and other paths of revenue had to be found.
Carols chairman and City of Launceston deputy mayor Danny Gibson said despite the carols not going ahead, the Club wanted to contribute as much as they could to the Empty Stocking.
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"We had a sad end to 2020 without staging Carols by Candlelight and we really missed bringing our community together in that way but we are very proud to be able to do something to help those who are doing it tough at Christmas," he said.
"We know what a great job all of the local charities do in our community so with some funds for forward planning for Carols by Candlelight, matched by the Rotary Club of Tamar Sunrise, we have contributed a last minute $2000 to the appeal.
"We've been active during the year and we thought it was an important thing to do. Our members are always busy supporting community and wanted to ensure the 112th Empty Stocking was well supported."
Still, the donation was the ninth highest The Empty Stocking had received and pushed the total just $4000 away from six figures.
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With six days left to chip in Mr Gibson encouraged anyone that could to help out.
"We know that going into the New Year and post COVID the need is greater than ever and we encourage members of the community who can to dig deep," he said.
Earlier in the week the appeal received a staggering $8000 donation from The Robert Fergusson Family Foundation which provided another Christmas time boost to the Empty Stocking, while a $12,000 cheque from the WD Booth Charitable Trust was cashed on Christmas Eve.
The Christmas Eve donation was particularly significant as the appeal jumped past the six figure mark, harking a major milestone just before Christmas Day.
Evandale Primary School also chipped in an $85 donation while the Invermay Primary Christmas raffle brought in another $101.55.
The Empty Stocking Appeal has run for 112 years and set a donation target of $80,000 in 2020.
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