Without a partnership between Taree Lions Club and NSW Women in Dairy (WID), dozens of drought and bushfire affected dairy farmers would still be lost on their road to recovery.
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The groups have been instrumental in providing assistance to farmers through donations or direction to the appropriate agencies.
Representatives from both groups had a catch up at Taree's Sass at Bowers on Friday, August 7. Here WID presented the Lions with certificates of appreciation.
They spoke about their work during the height of the 2019 bushfire crisis where WID worked with the Lions at the bushfire recovery centre at Taree South to sort and deliver donated items to those in need. The WID members delivered more than 120 hampers and gift packs in time for Christmas.
The Lions Club also collected and donated about 58 semi-trailer loads of hay to farmers.
This relationship grew after Member for Myall Lakes Stephen Bromhead approached the Lions to coordinate a drought relief fund for dairy farmers in the region.
Instead of just writing cheques for $20 for example, we decided to direct the funds to Women in Dairy.
- George Greaves, Taree Lions Club president
The account was opened with a $20,000 donation from the Parliamentary Lions Club's Follow Your Dream Foundation.
Other donations were picked up along the way, with the sum later directed to WID.
Taree Lions Club president George Greaves said this was to ensure the funds were spent appropriately and promoted the industry in the Manning Valley.
"Instead of just writing cheques for $20 for example, we decided to direct the funds to Women in Dairy," Mr Greaves said.
With the funds, WID will look to hold several workshops and sessions on disaster plan management. This will include ongoing communication with government agencies.
As a local dairy farmer, Women in Dairy NSW chair and member of the Mid Coast chapter Megan Nicholson knows how important it is for farmers to be prepared.
"It's for farmers to do the best job they can with their plans, really finetune them and get a better outcome," Mrs Nicholson said.
The needs of each farmer will be identified such as more water tanks or a sprinkler system to combat drought or generators to restore power during bushfires.
Some dairy farmers in the area live on floodplains, so the issues that arise from this will also be addressed.
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