A little bit of relief brings a lot of benefits

NESTLED amidst the rolling hills of the Alpine Shire in a fertile open valley, the small farming town of Dederang last Friday found itself at the heart of a remarkable council-led initiative. A Little Bit of Relief was an event to support the local agricultural community, with the expo a recovery initiative in response to natural disasters and other challenges the region has faced over the last couple of years. Delivered through state and federal government funding, the expo at the Dederang Recreation Reserve drew in visitors from neighbouring shires of Towong and Indigo and the City of Wodonga. With the community throwing its full support behind the initiative and proceeds from the event benefitting local endeavours, the local football and netball club were in charge of running the barbecue, the Gundowring Hall Committee organised the extensive raffle and the Dederang Hotel was taking bookings, with Rural Aid visiting the region earlier in October providing free labour to local farmers in the build-up to the expo. Beyond its immediate impact on the local community, the Dederang expo also provided a valuable resource for farmers across the region. Providing a one-stop shop for the agricultural community, the expo offered up everything from mental health support to farm safety demonstrations, working dog trials and training, agricultural drone displays and fruit tree grafting. A multitude of North East health services and government services including Agriculture Victora and DEECA were in attendance, along with local police bringing along the firearms officer to answer any queries. Students from Wodonga TAFE looking to follow careers in agriculture were visitors on the day, and a meteorologist from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) provided a seasonal update and some useful advice on how to navigate the BOM website as part of a series of mini-presentations at the expo. Part of an extensive program of workshops and activities scheduled over the day from 10am to 3pm, Mick Swenson from Yackandandah-based AviAg showcased spray drone operations on the main oval as part of the entertainment line-up. "Quite a few people watched the demonstration," said Mick, who reported strong community interest and follow-up afterwards. Working dog demonstrations were hosted by Gary White from White's Kelpie Stud with Beyond Blue Ambassador and former television personality Brad McEwan taking on Master of Ceremonies. A total of 54 stallholders were spread out across the reserve, with local businesses given priority by the Alpine Shire Council uptake was strong for the free event Shade was a sought-after commodity for stallholders as the mercury hit the mid-thirties. However despite the heat, a steady stream of foot traffic keen to engage made the event an enjoyable and worthwhile undertaking. Travelling from Tawonga, Ken and Kim Edmondson also were on-hand with their very yellow 1977 Holden HX panel van 'Bumblebee' raising funds and generating awareness of Motor Neurone Disease. "Hitting the road in May of 2023, we've recently hit the $70,000 mark with our fundraising in just over a year and a half," said Kim. She commended the Alpine Shire Council on the expo, praising the initiative and the vital support it was giving to the agricultural community and supporting businesses. Herman Vandenbroeck has been with the Dederang CFA for the last 35 years, and used the expo as an opportunity to promote the benefits of volunteering with your local fire brigade. It was all part of the day, with the expo achieving its primary goal to bring the community together and celebrate resilience, whilst ensuring local farmers have the tools and support they need to thrive, providing a place to connect, learn new skills and access a wide range of services and information.

A little bit of relief brings a lot of benefits

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