A CHANCE remark at an annual Furner cattle sale on Monday has led to a $500 donation to the Cancer Council.
Sebastopol farmer Graham Sapiatzer was checking over the Charolais bulls and heifers on offer at the Bellinger family’s Goodnwindi sale when he asked his Millicent stock agent John Chay if he would like to donate his commission to the charity.
Mr Chay readily agreed and the donation was gratefully accepted by Cancer Council ambassador Sally Sapiatzer who happens to be Graham’s teenage daughter and was present at the sale.
In recent years, the Year 10 student has been employed by the Bellingers to wash their cattle ahead of the auction.
It is typical of the dynamic attitude of the 15-year-old who has been a strong advocate for the Cancer Council and its Sun Smart community awareness program.
She is staging a sausage sizzle outside of Foster’s Foodland between 10am and 2pm on Saturday.
Over the years, Graham and his partner Lou Gardin have been loyal clients of the Bellingers.
Graham is rightly proud of his daughter’s efforts and said they followed the death of his father Bob Sapiatzer from lung cancer a few years ago
“Sally has spoken to Millicent’s service clubs and regularly gives talks at schools and also holds fundraisers for the Cancer Council,” Graham said.
“She might have to cut back when she goes into her two final years of high school.”
Before a gallery of 100, Goodnwindi co-proprietor Steve Bellinger said 19 bulls changed hands on Monday for a high of $8500 and an average of $5812.
This was a higher return than a year ago but the average return of $1826 for the 94 heifers was below the 2017 figures.
Mr Bellinger was pleased with sale results and said they reflected the current market.
His family is also going to make a donation to the Cancer Council following the successful sale.
