Two Gunnedah High School students have taken their passion for agriculture and invested it in a drought fundraiser.
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With the help of staff and fellow students, Lucy Moore and Ashleigh Mills have raised $1150 for Aussie Helpers through activities including a barbecue, Dress like a Farmer Day, petting zoo and “Kiss a Cow” initiative.
Ashleigh said she wanted to do something to help because she was seeing the impacts of the drought first-hand.
“I work part-time on a property and after seeing the devastating effects of the drought, I knew I needed to help and the best way was to go through the school,” she said.
The Year 11 student teamed up with friend and fellow agriculture student Lucy who is “just as passionate as me”.
“My dad’s a farmer and I grew up on a farm,” Lucy said.
“We’ve spent a lot of time [on this fundraiser].”
The pair started brainstorming ideas with the help of Year 7 student Nicola Bemet and in August approached acting principal Ken White who “jumped straight on board”.
The “Kiss a Cow” concept gained the most traction, with Lucy and Ashleigh setting up donation boxes for about 20 teachers who were willing to kiss Monty the school’s Friesian calf. The students then put money in the boxes of the two teachers they would most like to pucker up, with Andy Kiely and Emojong Mamai coming out on top.
The two teachers applied bright lipstick and planted one on Monty who did not entirely welcome the close attention. Monty was, however, happy to receive affection from Lucy and Ashleigh who are well known to him from their time in the agriculture plot.
The activity was originally organised to happen on Friday, along with novelty games, but a storm blew that idea away. It was postponed to Monday and once again, rain set in, so it took place on Wednesday instead.
“Our spirit brought the rain,” Lucy said.
The pair said they were “proud” of the fundraising results.
“I’m really happy,” Ashleigh said.
“That's a really big amount for a small school.”
Agriculture teacher Nicole Dwyer said the girls did a “brilliant job”.
“They showed great initiative to get it up and running,” she said.
The students said they were thankful to Leon DeGroot for lending the piglets and calves and the school’s farm assistant Philip Tydd for rounding them up.
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