Helping hands: Anujan Cenan (left, with Doug Bennetts) got the idea to fund-raise for the Children's Hospital at Westmead from his dad. "I went there when I accidentally broke my arm when I was 4," Anujan said.Picture: Mike Sea
AT 91, Doug Bennetts is the oldest fund-raiser for The Children's Hospital at Westmead. And Anujan Cenan, 8, is the youngest.
"To date we've raised $58,000 for the hospital's oncology department," said Mr Bennetts, of Carlingford.
The money was raised over 12 years through lunches hosted by the NSW Master Builders Bowls Club of which Mr Bennetts, a Medal of the Order of Australia recipient, has been secretary-treasurer for 33 years.
Anujan, a year 3 pupil at The King's School, busked with his violin at Castle Towers in Castle Hill.
He raised $145 in 45 minutes.
"I was a little embarrassed but then I got used to it," he said. "I'll do it again."
So will Mr Bennetts.
"I'll be 92 when I bring over the cheque in March," he said, referring to the bowls club's next fund-raising lunch at Denistone Sports Bowling Club on Wednesday, March 6, at 1.30pm.
Annine Jackson, the head of fund-raising at the children's hospital, said: "We're so grateful to have the generous support of people like Anujan and Doug in the community."
In the City of Parramatta 17,902 residents — which was 13 per cent of the population — reported doing some form of voluntary work in the 2011 Census.