Over 200 community members attended an event organised by Elders Kyneton in support of Beyond Blue.
L-R: Melanie Duggan (Elders Insurance) & Joy Godbolt (Livestock SSO) with some of the silent auction items from the event.
Held at the local Kyneton Bowling Club, the branch was delighted at the large turnout for their event which was organised by the branch to promote and fundraise for mental health support service Beyond Blue.
Branch manager Greg Duggan explained that the motivation behind the event stemmed from recent changes in markets which have had an impact on their small rural community.
“We wanted to leverage our network to increase engagement with the local community and support a worthy cause,” Greg said.
“As planning for the day took form, other businesses in our town and further afield found out and were keen to support with donations for the silent auction.”
The event became a real community effort, and over 40 businesses donated a variety of items, including a Weber BBQ, AFL signed guernseys and much more.
The event was a resounding success, with over 200 attendees enjoying live entertainment, barefoot bowls, BBQ and face painting.
“It was a great way to engage and bring the community together for a worthy cause and has been a talking point of the town for the last two weeks,” said Greg.
It is expected that the final donation amount will increase as funds from those who weren’t able to make it on the day and the branch’s own funds have yet to be added.
If you or anyone you know is going through a hard time, Beyond Blue’s Support Service are available 24/7 for free and confidential counselling on 1300 22 4636.