By Shelby Brooks
In memory of their patriarch, Pakenham’s Clough family has helped raise $46,000 for local charities and pancreatic cancer research.
The Clough Charity Race Night was held at Pakenham Racecourse on Thursday 12 May with over 200 guests in attendance, raising money for the Pancare Foundation, Frankie’s Community Kitchen, Make-a-Wish Cardinia- Casey Branch and Cardinia Foundation.
The night was in memory of Bruce Clough, the beloved Mazda businessman who passed from a battle of pancreatic cancer over six years ago.
In recognition and celebration of Bruce, over the past three annual race nights the Clough family have raised over $118,000 to fight pancreatic cancer.
Led by Bruce’s daughter-in-law, Tamara Clough, the fundraising event banded the community through dining, auctions and awards with a great result of fun and funds raised toward these worthy causes.
“Throughout the night we held a live auction, silent auction, raffles, picking competition and everyone gave so generously. Over the last three events (2018, 2019 and 2022) we have raised a total of $118K,“ she said.
Pakenham Mazda business development manager Wade Calderwood said he helped create the concept with the family in 2017.
“Since then it’s gone from strength to strength,“ he said.
“Bruce was the patriarch of the family and was a local icon. He created a tow service vehicle in the mid-1970s in Nar Nar Goon before he started selling cars.“
Wade said the employees at Pakenham Mazda was “very happy“ with how the fundraiser went.
“Of all the fundraisers held at the racecourse on a Thursday race night [we believe] this has been the most successful ever,“ he said.
“People have been extraordinarily generous. We were blown away.“
