THE people of Bathurst and beyond are being asked to crowdfund for a billboard which will feature the city's three missing people.
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Jessica Small disappeared in 1997, Janine Vaughan in 2001 and Andrew Russell in 2009, and the community are being asked to raise funds for the construction of a missing persons billboard near Carrington Park.
Rhonda Griffin, who came up with the idea, is working alongside Peter Rogers and mayor Bobby Bourke to make it a reality.
Mrs Griffin said the Vaughan family already have their own banner, and were asking on their Help Find Janine Vaughan Facebook site for somewhere to hang it, when the idea of a billboard in Bathurst was born.
Mrs Griffin said she commented on the page that it should be displayed in Bathurst and, in just two weeks, she has worked with the mayor and other parties to get the ball rolling.
She said council has already agreed to provide a temporary site on the corner of Carrington Park, and is assisting in other ways as well.
She said she now needs the community to rally and donate to get the job done.
"Without donations we can't do this," she said.
Ideally, around $12,000 needs to be raised to pay for the billboard and a second banner which will feature not only Janine, but the city's two other missing persons, Jessica Small and Andrew Russell.
Mrs Griffin said the Vaughan family already have their own banner which is ready to go.
"They just need a billboard to display it."
Mrs Griffin said the beauty of the Janine Vaughan banner is it can be used immediately while the second one is being made.
She said the aim is to raise enough donations to build the billboard and pay for another banner featuring Jessica, Janine and Andrew, with the aim of having it made in time for display on Missing Persons Week in August 2021.
It is expected it will take about eight to 10 weeks to manufacture the second banner.
She said she came up with the crowdfunding idea after listening to the recent podcast about Janine's disappearance, The Night Driver.
She said she felt the subsequent 60 Minutes Under Investigation about Janine tarnished Bathurst and Janine's character, and wanted to do something to help the family and paint the Bathurst community in a better light.
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In addition to crowdfunding for the billboard, Mrs Griffin said Peter Rogers has arranged for 12,000 flyers outlining Janine's case and an appeal for information to be delivered to every residential house in Bathurst.
Mrs Griffin has also been walking the CBD hand-delivering another 1000 flyers calling for financial support for the project.
She said the whole community had been incredibly supportive so far.
"It's a real community effort."
She said many people in the city have probably wanted to help the families, but didn't know how they could do so as an individual.
"This is a way we can come together and make a difference," she said.
"Whether you donate $10 or $100, it all adds up."
She said that at the end of the day, there were three families still desperate for answers.
"There are three families who have gone through so much. I would love to be able to do something to help bring them home," she said.
"If you want to help them, this is how."
Donations can be made at Reliance Bank, Bathurst.
The details are: Account name: Janine Vaughan Billboard Fund, BSB: 882 000, Account: 69601.
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