Doing it for the kids!

Batman met Buzz Lightyear in Albany on Tuesday, when the inaugural Wescarpade rolled into town to raise money for sick children.

Costumed drivers of 15 cars drove into Albany on Tuesday and have already raised $300,000 through the Wescarpade, a charity ride travelling 2000km from Bunbury to Esperance.

Wescarpade spokeswoman Elizabeth Hovey said the ride had so far been “absolutely brilliant”, with about 70 per cent offroad driving.

“We went through the Porongurups and Stirling Ranges on Tuesday, all the back roads,” she said.

“The Blues Brothers stalled in the middle of a creek crossing, we had to get them out.”

The entourage had breakfast at Albany Girl Guide Hall on Wednesday and presented a puppet show to students at South Stirlings Primary School and Mt Barker Community College – who rose to the occasion by wearing colourful hats and bringing gold coin donations.

Ms Hovey said all money raised would help sick children and their families through Camp Quality programs, which include sailing days, companions for sick children and bereavement camps.

“We take families away on holidays or take whole families on camps so that everyone can be together,” she said. “We find that the camps, when you have people together who’ve been through the same thing, they’re the best people to help each other.”

The Wescarpade travelled to Gnowangerup and Katanning after Albany and will finish in Esperance on August 11.

toyah.shakespeare@albanyadvertiser.com