THE Myall Community has once again answered the call to help others with a charity bowls day for the victims of the Sir Ivan bushfire earlier this year.

The town of Dunedoo may be 350 kilometres west as the crow flies, but it could be around the corner when it comes to the generosity of the Tea Gardens/Hawks Nest locals.

Last Friday, dozens of people took to the greens of the Tea Gardens Bowling Club to raise funds for the CWA appeal and Blazeaid.

“Before the bowls day even started the local community had donated $400,” organiser Pip Sullivan told News Of The Area.

‘Blazeaid’ was born out of the Black Saturday fires in Victoria in 2009.

The not-for-profit organisation is made up of volunteers from all over Australia, who help communities get back on their feet.

One of their major areas is supplying the manpower to replace fencing, something the Dunedoo region needs desperately.

A staggering six thousand kilometres of fencing was lost in the Sir Ivan fires and members of Blazaid are still camped out at the Dunedoo Showground.

“Most of them are Grey Nomads,” Dunedoo local Warren Bull said.

“We’ve had up to 150, at the moment there’s about 80 still there principally engaged in putting up new fencing.”

“People have come from all over to help,” Sue Stoddart said.

“Some of them are in tents, vans and caravans.”

“Virtually every organisation within the community including charitable organisations, are on the roster to feed the volunteers dinner every night.”

The Dunedoo community is hopeful the Blazeaid volunteers will stay until Christmas.

At the end of Friday’s Fun Day of Bowls in Tea Gardens, $1,427 was raised.

Another $2,220 came from a raffle.

All in all, a great effort.

“Special thanks must go to Ross Barry, Graham Kelly, Keith Smith and Club Manager Warren Gooley.”

Pip said, “They were the driving forces behind the Bowls Day.”

For more details you can contact Pip Sullivan on: 0418 479 761 or head to the Blazeaid website, www.blazaid.com.

 

By Margie TIERNEY