The adage “charity begins at home” has spurred one local small business to chip in with a $10,000 gift to a local farmer in need.
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Oberon Earthmoving’s owners and staff pulled together to offer their time and equipment as a generous donation of earthworks, machinery repairs and general labour to the value of $10,000.
“We asked our online community to nominate a farmer-in-need, with names going into a draw to receive our donation, and we had a huge response,” Oberon Earthmoving manager Zac Rowlandson said.
The draw to receive the work valued at $10,000 was held over the weekend, resulting in one lucky local farmer set to receive the gifted works in the coming weeks.
“We opened this offer up to farmers within a 100 kilometre radius of Oberon so we could give the best value works and it’s been great to bring some hope and relief to a local family,” he said.
Mr Rowlandson said staff wanted to do something that would help in a practical way and show their support for the community.
“Living in a tight-knit community like Oberon we all feel the effects of this drought. We all know someone doing it tough,” Mr Rowlandson said.
Living in a tight-knit community like Oberon we all feel the effects of this drought.
- Oberon Earthmoving manager Zac Rowlandson
“These are our friends, neighbours and their families who are struggling.”
The small family-run business chose to tie the donation to the recent Black Tie and Boots Ball in Bathurst on August 11, an event that garnered significant attention and raised funds to provide mental health support services for farmers in the region.
The idea behind the donated works was to help keep farm dams, roads and farm machinery operational now and ready for the work ahead.
With 100 per cent of the state now declared to be drought stricken, the impact on regional communities is particularly acute and Mr Rowlandson is hopeful that other small businesses will feel encouraged to donate their time and expertise to farmers in the Oberon region.
“Our community has shown us incredible support in recent times and we feel this is our opportunity to give back, to show them we care and we can help in this small but real way,” Mr Rowlandson said.
“We encourage any business with the capacity to give, to do what they can, because every bit helps.”
