The Parkview Hotel has put up its hands to offer a space for drought fundraising.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Namoi Group of the CWA put a call out for an empty shop front through the Namoi Valley Independent on July 31, with a swift response from Greg and Belinda Thomas.
The CWA will use the Parkview’s empty bottleshop area across from Woolworths for CWA Awareness Week in September. The members plan to sell baked goods and sandwiches for drought relief, and act as a drop-off point for donations of toiletries, household basics, fuel vouchers, or gift cards from Woolworths or Coles.
The shop will be open from September 3-7 from 9.30am-2.30pm and will be manned by the CWA branches of Gunnedah, Emerald Hill, Curlewis, Tambar Springs and Goolhi.
“Our motto for the week is ‘Teamwork makes the dream work’,” Emerald Hill CWA president Yvonne Argent said.
“We are very excited and looking forward to raising money so we can do something for the farmers.”
Ms Argent is encouraging businesses to donate vouchers for food, haircuts, car services, fuel and other practical items.
“We’re trying to get away from physical donations because we’ve got heaps of those coming in,” she said.
“Any business house that wants to donate vouchers for services, we’d be very grateful.”
Greg Thomas said he was happy to offer the space for a good cause and has offered the hotel as a drop-off point for donated items.
“Any task that a community group undertakes, if I can help out, I’m more than happy to, especially in these circumstances in the drought, and the CWA does a lot for the community,” he said.
“My livelihood is derived from the local community and I guess in these times if we can be a meeting point to help farmers out in these circumstances, we will be.”
The CWA is also giving out toiletry packs and baby packs to farming families and are asking the families to get in touch to receive them.
“We need them to come forward… [and] we also want them to let us know if they’re in trouble and if they are out of water,” Ms Argent said.
“There was a lady who contacted me from Umina, Central Coast [and] she’s putting up 20 loads of water, which is coming up in a doubler as back loading.
“As far as we know, it is drinkable water.”
To speak to the CWA about the available water, contact Rhonda McPherson on 6754 6863 (Bellata branch) or Michelle Eggins on 6785 2508 (Manilla branch). To receive a toiletry or baby pack, or to donate items to the CWA’s drought relief initiative, contact Yvonne Argent on 0490 926 917.
