The harvest is over, the sore heads have recovered and the takings have been counted from this year’s Header Drivers Convention.
This year the convention raised the highest amount so far, with convention organiser Neil Seidel presenting Can Assist with $18,235. Last year the convention raised $10,870.
“Not bad for a night on the drink,” Mr Seidel joked.
Narrandera Can Assist president Neta Close said she was overwhelmed with the response.
“You don’t know where generosity comes from. I bumped into you on the street and look where we are now,” she said, addressing Mr Seidel.
Mrs Close explained that when the Header Driver’s Convention first became a fundraising initiative, Mr Seidel approached her and asked if the money could go to Can Assist.
Mrs Close had no idea at the time who he was, and neither did she realise that the Header Drivers Convention would become synonymous with such extraordinary community generosity.
“I think I only gave you $1000 the first year,” Mr Seidel said to Mrs Close.
This year the event was held at the Narrandera Race Club and the organisers of the Header Drivers Convention extended their thanks to the club for hosting the evening.
Mr Seidel emphasised that the money could not have been raised without the efforts of the convention sponsors.
Other sponsors emerged after the night was over to support the convention, with at least one person contacting the convention organisers the following Monday to donate $1500.
“We got to the end of the night, and blokes I didn’t know all that well were chucking $50 notes into the tin because they thought it was a good cause.”
Hutcheon and Pearce were the major sponsors of the evening.
Other sponsors include Matt Kingston Earthmoving, Lowes Petroleum Coleambally, Australian Farm and Fencing, Fabstock Livestock and Mineral Supplement, Greg Geltch Excavations, GrainCorp, Rabobank, Ag ‘n Vet Services, Hi Marq Engineering, Elders Narrandera, Lawndock Pastoral, D & S Meccano, Hayllar Transport, Hutchins Bros Engineering, W Clark and Sons Engineering, KJ & LM Polsen, Conway Welding and Fabricating, Quilter Nominees, Tarcoola Farming, Glenfyne Farms, Murrumbidgee Hotel, Narrandera Bakery, Get Stitched Embroidery, Carlton United Breweries, Murrumbidgee Hotel Social Club and Landmark Narrandera.
What an amazing effort cociderungva lot of the small businesses that donate would also be doing it tough and still find it in their hearts to donate to a worthy cause.Country people have great empathy and Mate ship.Well done to all involved.Stories like this make me proud I was from Narrandera.