The laneway area of the Pizza Cafe' was packed for the SRS fundraising event

SUNRAYSIA Residential Services' clients may soon have access to a new wheelchair vehicle, thanks to the generosity of the community.

SRS hosted its ninth annual fundraiser auction at the Pizza Cafe on Thursday.

The capacity crowd of 120 people raised more than $35,000.

Chief executive officer Marian Luehman said she was "very, very pleased" with the items donated and amount raised this year.

"We really appreciate everyone who has supported us with this event and consequently the outcome is from their generosity," she said.

Ms Luehman said the money would help fund a wheelchair vehicle for the newest home, at 394 Deakin Avenue.

"We have a vehicle at every one of our properties because one of the most important things when you have limited mobility is having reliable transport to be able to take you wherever you want to go at whatever time you want to go," she said.

"In Mildura, we haven't got a very good public transport as such ... for people with disabilities.

"Having vehicles where our staff can walk in and get in the vehicle at any time and take a person whenever they want to go instead of having it planned, this is just something that you and I can do in our life at any point and we like to support people so they can do whatever they would like to do at the spur of the moment."

The event returned this year for the first time since the pandemic.

Ms Luehman said it was always a "fun, social night" where everyone could catch up and celebrate everything SRS does in the community.

"I think it was just such a good feeling that everyone was back," she said.

"Things were feeling like they were in the past and everyone was able to just come together and have a good laugh together."

Ms Luehman thanked the Pizza Cafe for its hospitality and continued support.

The Pizza Café donated $5 per takeaway pizza sold on the day.

"The last (fundraiser) we had, we were building houses on Fifteenth Street and we actually named them the Carrazza (Complex) because it was named after Joe Carrazza and the Pizza Café and all the dollars that they have supported us with over the years," she said.

Source: https://www.sunraysiadaily.com.au/news/6227659/fundraiserwith-the-lot#1