A symphony of horns began sounding through the Illawarra from 8am Sunday, awakening the region to its biggest charity day of the year – Convoy.
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The roar of emotionally charged engines from 1020 motorcycles and 719 trucks were met by thousands of cheers, squeals from excited children and tears from bystanders at the side of the road.
From Appin through to Albion Park Rail the cavalcade proceeded, culminating at Croome Road Sporting Complex.
“When I was riding through, people were putting their hands out to give you five, it was so touching. I was crying behind my helmet,” admitted Kerry Hutton of Hornsby.
It’s the second year the motorcyclist has joined the procession as a way to help sick kids, and others, with life-threatening illnesses.
“I’ve got a cousin at the moment in Warwick Hospital with cancer, and she’s going to be lucky to make her birthday in January,” he said.
“[I wanted to get involved] to see the smile on the kiddies’ faces, but mainly a cure [for cancer]. They all deserve a go in life.”
Mr Hutton said it was awe-inspiring how so many in the community could come together and hoped it set an example in the world.
Isabel Mitchell of Shellharbour lost her husband James to lung cancer four years ago and has put his name on “the people’s” truck ever since.
Ms Mitchell was sure he’d be watching the excitement from above as he “loves his trucks and motorbikes”.
For Barrack Heights woman Michelle Hockey and her sweetheart Matthew Noble, they chose to celebrate their love for the charity event – and each other – by getting married on the day.
Michelle has been supporting the charity event since its inception in 2005 after her a friend’s son was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
She said she could never stop supporting the events as each year she would “get caught in the emotion” of all the other children that needed help.
“Convoy is like my Christmas,” Michelle said.
“[Matthew and I] met online but our first date was at Convoy together, and it just made it even more sentimental.”
This was the first year the 37-year-old couldn’t watch the entire brigade with her children, as a hair and makeup appointment dragged her away before her nuptials later in the afternoon. Her dress even had a hint of black, this year’s colour theme for Convoy.
The couple decided to move the wedding to Warilla Bowling Club as they didn’t want to take away from the cause.
Meantime their reception will continue taking donations for Convoy, hoping guests will dig deep.
This year it was announced the annual charity event would reach wider with the Illawarra Community Foundation set up to distribute funds raised to Camp Quality and others who are facing potentially life threatening illness.
Submissions for funding will come January 2017.
The fundraising tally was just over $2.05 million on Sunday afternoon, with money raised from the family fun day and merchandise still to be added.