The message relayed to the Port Stephens community from our drought stricken farmers was as stark as it was poignant: “Please don’t forget about us.”

It was delivered by Rural Aid representatives Wayne and Robyn Thomson during the handover last Thursday of a cheque for $44,300, proceeds from a Buy a Bale fundraising weekend conducted by sporting and social clubs on the Tomaree peninsula.

“NSW is 100 per cent in drought and our farmers are still doing it very tough, many are working seven days a week, 12-14 hours a day, in what is being described as the worst drought on record,” Mr Thomson told the gathering.

“To put it in perspective, one year ago we were delivering one roadtrain (approximately 70 tonne) of hay a fortnight, now we are delivering 30 roadtrains a week.

“And each day we hear of the dreadful conditions, the misery these proud farmers are dealing with.

“Stories of 7-year-old children who have never seen rain, parents who can’t remember the last time they purchased fresh food from a store, families bathing in buckets of stinking bore water, kids counting the dead sheep on their farm before going off to school.

“Stories of families who haven’t had cause to turn on their fridge in months, eating from tins of food, farmers selling live stock for peanuts, the list goes on.”

Mr Thomson said every cent raised through the Buy a Bale project goes to families to purchase hay for stock, food, water and fuel.

“Of course farmers are very proud people and reluctant to ask for help, which is causing its own problems … quite often they come to us four months too late when they are in dire need.

“There are also the mental health issues. How do you plan for a seven-year continuous drought?”

Mr Thomson said the recent rains had very little impact on the vast majority of farmers. “The shoots of grass get eaten very quickly by cattle or sheep that are not too weak to move.”

There was some bright news on the horizon, said Mr Thomson. “Victorian hay stocks are on their way to NSW and Queensland to replace the current crop coming from Western Australia and South Australia.”

The Bay’s weekend of fundraising organiser Vicki Page, from Fingal Sports Club, said it was a sobering thought to get a first hand account of the real life effect the drought is having on farmers.

“The weekend showed what this community can do when the various clubs get together to support those in need, but obviously there is more to be done,” she said.

During the weekend of September 8-9 the Port’s three major golf clubs – Nelson Bay, Pacific Dunes and Horizons – attracted around 200 golfers and raised in excess of $15,000.

Bowlers were equally generous with their time and money, with hundreds turning out for events at Soldiers Point, Nelson Bay and Fingal Bay raising another $15,000, while Anna Bay Tavern held a two-day event which attracted visitors from across the state.

A Moonshadow cruise raised in excess of $1200 while Port Stephens councillors approved a $1000 donation to be made to the relief charity fund at its August 28 meeting.

Club representatives who participated included Bob Westbury (Horizons), Vicki Page and Dean Noble (Fingal Sports), Nicole Blue (Nelson Bay Bowls), Trevor Harrison (Nelson Bay Golf), Kurt Linda (Pacific Dunes) and Simon Lack (Soldiers Point Bowls).

To donate to the Buy a Bale project go to buyabale.com.au.

Source: Port Stephen Examiner

Save your big weekly grocery shop for Saturday and you’ll help farmers in Wollondilly and across Australia.

All profits from sales of fruit and vegetables, meat, the chilled section, bakery and deli at Woolworths supermarkets nationwide on Saturday, August 11, will be donated to Rural Aid’s Buy a Bale appeal.

Local Woolworths stores are located in Campbelltown Mall, Macarthur Square, Campbelltown Marketfair, Rosemeadow, Eagle Vale, Minto and Ingleburn.

It follows Woolworths’ initial $1.5 million donation, plus further Woolworths Tahmoor fundraising, which is helping Rural Aid deliver more hay, essential items and counselling support services to farmers in need.

The Dilly Drought Drive has now partnered with Rural Aid and under its Buy a Bale scheme, assistance will be provided to farmers in Macarthur and Wingecarribee.

Rural Aid executive officer Charles Alder said the Australian farming community was a resilient one but there was an urgent need for ongoing support for farmers who continue to do it tough during this drought.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the response of the Woolworths store teams and customers over the past week,” he said.

“Since the supermarket came on board as a partner with their initial $1.5 million donation and opened up fundraising channels in their stores, we’ve been able to provide more certainty to hundreds of farmers who have reached out to us in urgent need of feed for their livestock.

“Additionally we’ve been able to increase vital counselling services available for farming families in regional communities.

“This further boost to funding this Saturday will have a significant impact on the long term support we are going to be able to provide farmers in drought affected regions.”

A Woolworths spokewoman said it had been amazing to see customers and team rally behind Aussie farmers impacted by this drought.

“In less than a week, Woolworths customers nationally have already donated in excess of $600,000 for Rural Aid’s Buy a Bale appeal through our checkouts nationwide,” she said.

“This generosity is making a real difference in rural communities, and has inspired us to build on our support of Rural Aid’s vital work.

Wollondilly customers can also donate to the Buy a Bale appeal in store at Woolworths Tahmoor, or any other Woolworths, Woolworths Metro or Woolworths Petrol store, as well as Woolworths Online.

All donations over $2 are tax deductible and 100% of the funds go to Rural Aid.

Source: Campbelltown- Macarthur Advertiser

The Medowie Bale Out The Drought campaign looks set to smash its fund-raising aim with residents digging deep in the first two weeks to raise more than $14,000.

The aim for the month-long campaign, running until August 12, was to raise $20,000 but Port Stephens councillor Chris Doohan, who is also one of the event organisers, said they had been “overwhelmed” with support.

As of July 29 the campaign had $14,650 in cash and raffle prizes donated.

“It has been sensational, to say the least,” he said. “We’ve even had two young boys empty their piggy banks to donate. That was such a beautiful gesture.”

Seth, aged 9, and Deagan, aged 7, emptied their individual piggy banks and donated the total, $31.10, to the campaign.

The campaign will finish with a final push at the Bull n Bush Hotel in Medowie on August 12 where raffles will be drawn, and auctions will take place.

The money raised will be donated to Rural Aid, an established charity that runs the well-known Buy a Bale campaign.

Mr Doohan said he and event organisers Ben Niland and Rod Kerr have asked Rural Aid to keep the money raised in Medowie in the Hunter.

However, the Mr Doohan said they understood if it could not especially if there were other areas doing it tougher than the Hunter.

According to the NSW Department of Primary Industries, drought is now affecting 99 per cent of the state.

The DPI Combined Drought Indicator shows that the Hunter is among the areas suffering drought and intense drought.

“This campaign has really brought the community together,” Mr Doohan said. “The awareness it has created for this crisis, and it is a crisis, is phenomenal.”

Mr Doohan said he hopes to “pass the baton” to other Port Stephens towns such as Nelson Bay or Raymond Terrace once the Medowie campaign had ended.

Source: Port Stephens Examiner