WHEN these truckies left Bathurst with cheers and honking horns on the weekend, every single one was determined that their massive donation of feed to farmers in the firezone would make a difference.
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This month’s 55,000 hectare Sir Ivan fire in the Warrumbungle Shire not only wiped out homes, outbuildings and a church, it left thousands of stock and pets without feed.
In stepped a group of Bathurst men who set up the Hay2Help appeal to assist those in the fire-ravaged area.
James Walton from Bowyer and Livermore First National was the first behind the initiative and said he was overwhelmed to see so many truckloads of feed leave Bathurst on Saturday morning.
In all, there was 13 trucks of hay and pet feed – not only was the feed donated, so were the trucks, the fuel and the drivers.
“We set out to get one to three semi loads of hay, and we’d be happy with that, but today we’ve got over a dozen semis here and it’s just been amazing,” he said.
In all Mr Walton said the appeal has collected $183,000 in donations – $30,000 in hay, $150,000 in pet food from Mars Petcare and almost $3000 in cash.
It’s just what you do … you just pitch in and lend a hand.
- Austhaul driver Dylan 'Spud' Meyers
“None of this happens without the community and I think everyone should be so proud,” he said as the trucks left Bathurst Showground.
“Thirteen trucks it’s pretty bloody awesome, but you know what, it’s country NSW, it’s Australia. It doesn’t get much better than this.”
Dylan ‘Spud’ Meyers from Austhaul was among the drivers and when asked why he gave up his Saturday to make the six-hour round trip to the firezone, he said the answer was easy.
“It’s just what you do … you just pitch in and lend a hand,” he said.
Brett Cranston from Cranston’s Transport said he was only too happy to donate his trucks to transport the feed.
Bathurst Regional councillor Bobby Bourke also helped with the appeal and said it was: “unbelievable what a group of people can do to help someone else outside our city.”
Visit www.facebook.com/hay2help to find out more.