Fathers Day Market .. Oh What A Day!
Well, it wasn't just the 1 day for a few of the usual select oldies, but also the multiple site inspections, planning and set ups to cover all of the issues surrounding this past weekend's PMM.
Lower Heathcote is certainly midway into a monumental site redevelopment, and one that has changed our traditional market day set up for ever! When finished, it should be a major attraction for the CoM, but certainly, for arranging public parking on the open lands, it will be a challenge and not the least impacted by the exposed reticulation layout across the site.
Hopefully by the next market in 6 weeks we will have a better site to work with, but the reduced car spaces available will certainly mean that the new Howson Reserve zone, formally for stall holders, will become an ongoing feature for allocation of our limited resources.
Considering everything, and particularly our reduced volunteer workforce for the expanded duties, we did a great job, especially considering the cause of Nepal that we collected for and the generous donations from our parking public.
When we finally got everything restacked into storage at 5.15 pm, and for many of us, on all day from 6.30 am, it had been a really long and tiring 10-11 hour day!
Well done to Ray (as always), Chris D, John K, Peter McE, amongst others, for seeing out the challenge for another sterling effort.
I have said this before, and say it again ... if we can't get some commitment for the heavy lifting from either within our own AxR, or outside support, I see the sun setting on this $25-30k fundraiser per year. It is simply unfair for the same olds to keep this fundraiser going.
Anyone, and with thanks, can turn up and help on the day, but the thinking, planning and the physical effort of set up and return, and to make sure it runs professionally and seamlessly is another thing.
We can have our well earned 'bask in glory' moments, but the work load just has to be shared around.
Time for some really hard discussions whilst we plan for the future of our fund raising at AxR.
On a lighter front....
Some fantastic interactions when seeking donations, and high lighting Nepal :
- I had one possibly young Indian chap donate $50, finally, after 3 credit card try's, go on line, transfer money and successfully complete. He just wanted to give to the cause.
- 2 young Pakistani guys explained that where they lived, theses floods were an ongoing disaster for their people, and each gave $10.
- many who were deliberating yes/no, upped their contribution when the cause was named.
And, the foto, at the end of the day, when Brad and Ray were in the process of unloading the Ute, Ray's determination to overload the carrier causing a limited disaster, to the mirth of those few present to help!
A recovering Kenn...