Kyabram’s close connection to the Rochester community — through sport, business, education, family and industry — was the catalyst of what is expected to be a $20,000 windfall for the Rochester Flood Recovery fund.
Late last week more than $13,000 had been raised from the Run for Rochy event and associated raffle, with tickets still to be sold for the Monday, December 19, draw of the raffle.
“If we can sell all the raffle tickets we will raise $20,000,” organiser Sarah Mangan said.
“It is just a wonderful community effort. In the lead up I had businesses contacting me to see if they could be involved, it was amazing the support we received.”
Run for Rochy was staged on a Monday afternoon a week ago, attracting hundreds of participants and just as many onlookers who were involved in a variety of fundraising activities to support the Rochester Secondary College and Rochester Primary School.
Mrs Mangan is the wife of Nanneella Estate Primary School principal, Tom, and a close friend of the Rochester schools.
She said the Run for Rochy event, which was hosted by the Kyabram P-12 College (of which Rochester resident Todd Woodfine is principal), was a community event — not just a school event.
“It was much more than a school event, although they did host it,” she said.
“Staff and students from VCAL and Tech staff and students created the obstacle course.
“But it was a community effort. We had 560 participate in the Splash and Dash part of the evening and more than 1000 people attend the night with spectators and community groups running stalls.”
Kyabram resident, football/netball club treasurer, and principal of the Rochester Primary School, Kate Whitford, echoed the connection of the two towns.
She is a former Kyabram P-12 College principal.
Businesses came on board to support the Run for Rochy event and the end result, if all raffle tickets can be sold before the Monday, December 19, draw, a total of $20,000 is expected to be handed over for work and equipment at Rochester Secondary College and Rochester Primary School.
There are more than 20 prizes in the raffle, the major prize a 75-inch Smart TV donated by Primal Health Club and Kyabram Betta Home Living, along with a variety of other prizes. Second prize is a $200 family mini session with Claudia Moore Photography.
Tickets remain available at Kyabram P-12 College Office, Open House, Hurleys Hotel, Betta Home Living, Terry White Chemmart, McConnells Real Estate, Intersports Bennetts, Primal Health Club and Kyabram Newsagents.
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
ACM, Aussie Kindies Kyabram, Bakers’ Delight Kyabram, Betta Electrical, Cadells, Campaspe Shire, Cantech, Claudia Moore Photography, Darin and Matt Ohlsen Digger Hire, Dawes & Vary, Edge Print Mooroopna, Empire Signs, Fire Brigade CC, Fischer Family, Geelong FC, Gone Rogue, Greely Family, H&G Real Estate, Hurley’s Hotel, Intersport Bennetts, JR Coffee Please, Julie Day Lorraine Lea, Kebab Mates, Ky Cricket Club, Ky Hire, Kyabram Blue Light, Kyabram Bombers Junior Football Club, Kyabram CFA, Kyabram Club, Kyabram Football Netball Club, Kyabram Lions Club, Kyabram Netball Association, Kyabrm P-12 College VCAL Program, Kyabram P-12 Parents Club, Kyabram Plaza Theatre, Kyabram Valley Dairy Group, Kyabram VET, Lancaster Primary School, Lancaster Football Club, McColls Transport, Newspower Kyabram, Open House, OSHC Kyabram P-12, Papercake, Peats Office Supplies, Rochester Primary School, Secretly Scrumptious, Shepparton It’s Party Time, SPC, St Patrick’s Tongala, Tongala Development Group, The Loop Kyabram, Walkers Real Estate.