Glenmore Drakes tops national HeartKids donations for May

Rockhampton locals raise more than $11,000 for kids with heart disease

Glenmore Drakes superheroes: (back row) Chantelle Cooke, Scott Perel, Natalie Kluver, Carolyn Semple, Jasmine Rower, Matthew Hooper, Tyler Wessling, and (bottom) Jeff Nunn, Jocelyn Hare and Erin Marsh with 7 year old Kane Jones. Picture: Jann Houley

KANE Jones wouldn't be able to run around playing soccer with his friends if it wasn't for early childhood heart surgery and continuing visits to specialists.

The seven-year-old was at Glenmore Drakes supermarket yesterday to help its superhero staff celebrate an astonishing $11,000 in donations towards the HeartKids charity.

With the 60 stores around Australia reporting about $70,000 total Friday morning, that means Rockhampton locals have donated ten times the national average to help sick kids and their families.

Throughout May, locals donated two dollars for HeartKids tokens and, on Friday, via donations and multi-draw raffles.

There are eight Australian children like Kane born with a heart disease very day, and HeartKids provides tailored therapy sessions for their families.

Natalie Jones, who also has two daughters, said she was overwhelmed by locals' generosity when Glenmore Drakes manager Scott Perel told her how much they had raised.

"This money will support families and provide money for research as well as machines they hospitals really need," she said.

She praised the Parkhurst State School for supporting Kane during the times he was absent for appointments with cardiologists and paediatricians.

"He loves his sport; he plays soccer with the school and with the Bluebirds," she said.

Kane said a big thank you to everyone who works at Drakes and who donated money at the shop.

"I think they're all superheroes," he said.

Originally published as Glenmore Drakes tops national HeartKids donations for May