Photo: SPIN Pyjama Day 2021 participants (Supplied)
The Yass Valley SPIN Foundation is encouraging the community to join in this Pyjama Day on July 29 and wear their PJs to work, school or around town.
2022 marks the SPIN (Supporting People in Need) Foundation’s third year raising funds for locals’ medical expenses through the now annual Pyjama Day.
Originally, SPIN focused on schools but has expanded to include the whole town with more and more businesses and local shops getting on board.
Every school and preschool got involved in SPIN’s Pyjama Day last year and are set to put their PJs on for a good cause again.
SPIN Foundation’s Donna Luff said the organisation’s mascot Lionel the Lion visits all the local schools and preschools to say hi and explain what Pyjama Day is all about.
“Each year we do it there are more and more people getting involved,” Donna said.
Several businesses on the main street and within the wider Yass district have come on board and alert SPIN that they are fundraising in their PJs on the day. SPIN will pop in for a visit to collect donations or you might find some cosy volunteers around town in their pyjamas who can accept donations.
“It’s successful and it’s so much fun,” Donna said. “We have our team of volunteers, dressed in pyjamas, wander- ing around the streets, running around town, visiting schools, visiting all the shops who are wearing their PJs.”
Donna said funds raised will be distributed by a patient committee to applicants with medical expense needs within the Yass Valley.
“All the money we raise does not go out of the Yass Valley, it stays within the Yass Valley and is distributed to those people who are in need of medical assistance.”
“Unfortunately, we don’t support the cancer patients because Yass Can Assist does that, but we support patients with every other medical expense there is besides cancer.”
After the 2021 Pyjama Day, SPIN raised about $5,000 and had plenty of fun on the day.
“It’s awesome and it’s just so much fun,” Donna said. “All the kids at all the schools as well just love it they get to wear their PJs all day.”
“We’re anticipating another successful day this year.”
It’s a gold coin donation to wear your pyjamas for the day and you can contact the Yass Valley SPIN Foundation’s Facebook Page to ask them to pop in, possibly with Lionel in tow, to your business.
“We just hope that more and more Yass Valley community members come on board and come down the street,” she said. “By coming down the street to give us their donations they’re also supporting all the local businesses as well.”
“Support not just us, support the whole town.”
Brianna O’Rourke
