Rotary Club of Albury North's Travel Escape Club fundraiser returns

The Travel Escape Club, which offers one major travel prize and five $150 vouchers each month, is returning for a second year, with tickets on sale now.

Organised by Rotary Club of Albury North, the venture aims to raise $120,000 each year by selling 800 tickets at $150 each, with proceeds to be split between the prize pool and Rotary projects.

In 2022-23, youth suicide prevention was a key focus, while mental health first aid and scholarships will be priorities in the coming year.

Club president Sue Paini said selling 707 tickets in the inaugural year was "a pretty amazing outcome really".

"At the moment we've sold enough tickets to cover our costs ... and we've had fantastic support from local businesses," she said.

"Last year we had about 50 local businesses provide the $150 vouchers, this year we've got about 80, so more than we actually need.

"A lot of those businesses also bought tickets."

With 72 prizes on offer, "if we sell all 800 tickets, your odds are almost one in 10 of winning".

"Every ticket that wins goes back into all the other draws," Ms Paini said.

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"We did have someone this year win two prizes, they did buy two tickets and they won with each separate ticket, two months in a row."

Travel Escape Club evolved after the sudden death of Rotarian Roger Schnelle, with the family accounting firm he founded Schnelle Partners an ongoing major sponsor.

Mr Schnelle had been one of a dozen friends in a Border group that had invested in local projects for more than two decades.

The other group members wanted to support the Rotary venture by buying tickets, without any expectation of winning anything.

So Doug Gow and his wife Lyn, formerly of Albury but now Geelong residents, were amazed and pleased to take out May's major travel prize, a trip to Fiji.

"We went there when we got married for our honeymoon 40 years ago and we're going back to Fiji on our 40-year anniversary," Mr Gow said.

Fellow group member Jim Maher said Travel Escape Club was a great initiative to increase awareness of mental health and suicide prevention.

"Something like this will continue on and if we can keep putting those funds back into the community, then it's a winner," he said.

In its first year, the fundraiser helped the Border-made survivors of suicide documentary Solstice expand into schools.

Filmmaker Helen Newman said this comprised a short version of the documentary as well as a teacher's study guide reviewed as suitable for the curriculum in secondary schools and available around Australia.

"There's an educational package that's been developed as a result of these funds," she said.

Ms Paini said the circumstances around Travel Escape Club's development made the project a poignant one for Rotarians.

"I'm quite sure last year that was part of why it was supported so strongly by the club and our members, and spreading it further," she said.

"It was launched around the first anniversary of (Mr Schnelle's) passing, so it was a very sad time."

Mr Maher and the Gows felt awareness was growing about the importance of talking things over and checking in with friends.

"Even just looking at the football and two coaches stepping away and all those things, it's in the front of a lot of people's minds," Mr Gow said.

For more information about Travel Escape Club, go to travelescapeclub.com.au.

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