KOPASZ&CURLY@WILLOW & OAK CAFE SETS A PRECEDENT WITH INSTALLATION OF DEFRIBILLATOR
It all started in October 2022, when Steven Stamusz had a wonderful idea of having a defibrillator at Kopasz&Curly@ Willow and Oak Cafe on Macleay Island.
So Steven approached the Macleay island ambulance personnel and, in no time, a fundraiser was set up with the full support of the ambulance services.
Everyone was aware that it may take some time to get the funds together for a much-needed defibrillator as nothing in the area was available for the community if ever there was a need.
All the Kopasz&Curly@ Willow and Oak Cafe team went about patiently promoting and, bit by bit, raising the money needed to buy a lifesaving device.
Dollar by dollar, cent by cent . . . . slowly but surely they were getting to the target with some generous donations from customers and friends.
Steven Stamusz told The Friendly Bay islander: “We had a few hundred dollars nearing Christmas.
“That was not even a quarter of the way, but very hopeful that one day we would have it.
Steven added: “Christmas Eve came along, and it was a busy Saturday morning at the Cafe when Tammy and Wayne popped an order through.
“Wayne proceeded to ask about our fundraising efforts and gave me the shock of my life when he offered to pay fully for the defibrillator.
“How generous was that from Wayne and Tammy.”
The brand new defibrillator was delivered to the cafe in mid January by the couple.
It now has pride of place in a prominent position in the cafe, and is ready and waiting to be used in any health emergency in the immediate CBD precinct on Macleay Island.
The few hundred dollars that was fund-raised initially, will be put toward a charity dinner night on 10th of February where Wayne and Tammy will be guests of honour.
• Steven (centre) with Tammy and Wayne and the defibrillator.