Jack Hudson

ANGLE Vale residents and father-daughter duo Tony George and Amanda Lee will be a part of the 2021 SA Variety Bash from this weekend to raise money for kids in need.

They will travel in Car DOO, a homage to animated heroes Scooby Doo and the Mystery Machine, in their 1995 Holden Commodore.

They will join about 100 cars and 300 costumed entrants hoping to raise $2 million.

It will be the first time the pair will take part in the event, one that’s important because Tony has suffered from epilepsy his whole life after surviving a near-death experience with meningitis.

Amanda said it had been good for her dad to have something to do after closing his business because of the health complications.

“Dad recently was forced to retire because he had meningitis as a baby, which led to epilepsy,” she said.

“He had a brain operation two years ago and lost his licence and had to close down his business.

“It gave him something to do.

“We had all the resources to get everything done.

“Dad was previously a mechanic, so I put him to work and I did the fundraising through my work.”

Competitors need to raise $9500 to enter the Variety Bash – and the duo blitzed it.

“We’ve raise about $13,000 and we only started in February,” Amanda said.

“We wanted to be The Wiggles as Dad plays the guitar, so that would have been good.

“But that was already taken.

“We picked what was left, but I think it looks sensational.”

Tony said he was excited to get on the road this weekend.

“So far, so good,” he said. “It should be good. I had my own business for almost 30 years.

“A lot of the people that I dealt with over the years have been in the Variety Bash and had their own vehicles.

“It was actually easier than I thought it was going to be.”

The 2410-kilometre Variety Bash starts at the SA Produce Markets in Pooraka on Saturday and finishes in Clare on August 21.

To learn more, or to donate, visit varietysa.org.au.