Hub Inc Newsletter 1/2021 Jingellic Showgrounds, 3211 River Rd, Jingellic, NSW 2642  ABN 25 314 742 717  Inc No. Y2778830  [email protected]  0411 030 939 (Secretary)

2021 - Happy New Year!!!! It has got to be better than last year!

In this, the week of the anniversary of the initial spark of the Black Summer Fires, there has been a lot of reflection and looking back. Some criticise this as being negative, but there is a lot to be gained from the activity: it is hard to measure success and forward progress, without reviewing the starting point. We, as a community are certainly on the improve, there is a lot to look forward to and many achievements to applaud!

So, with that in mind, welcome to our first Newsletter for 2021. We recognise that Newsletters were sparse last year, we aim to do better in 2021 as the spectre of Covid diminishes with the prospect of the introduction of a vaccine. We hope that the situation will start to normalise, and we anticipate that Jingellic Hub activities and events will kick into gear so that we can once more entertain and support our cross-border community of Jingellic, Walwa, and surrounds.

Let’s look back and review 2020: Despite all the applications in 2016 and the Committee was successful interruptions and cancellations of scheduled events and supported in its endeavours via funding from and activities, due to initially, the Black Summer Fires, (and former Shire then the Recovery Activities on the Showgrounds and Council) and the NSW Government via Club Grants finally the restrictions of Pandemic management, the (2016) , Community Building Partnerships Grant (2016) Jingellic Hub Committee and Events subcommittee was , Stronger Communities Fund (2016). The strategic plan still busy! We supported recovery and relief activities, to make the organisation more financially viable and we wrote grant applications, we won a large number more functional, with ideals of activities to entertain and have completed projects funded by these grants in and support our community and to build a new pavilion the background of hosting BlazeAid camps and with space to accommodate 100 patrons, featuring a Bushfire Recovery events. well-resourced commercial kitchen and bar, and sufficient showers and toilets and water supplies to In consideration of the Jingellic Hub’s response to the support activities and evacuees in the case of a disaster and recovery, it was awarded a Highly disaster. All goals were achieved. The Jingellic Hub was commended status in the 2020 NSW Resilient provided a head start by the earlier Committees of the Awards – Community Category. All the hard JDPAH, who had maintained the grounds and installed work and dedication of volunteers and committee a 70KVA diesel powered generator. When the Jingellic members of the erstwhile Jingellic and District Pastoral, Showgrounds was put to the test (earlier than anyone Agriculture and Horticulture Society Inc, (JDPAH) now had imagined) on the 29 December 2019, and then for known as the Jingellic Hub Inc, has paid off! The goal of the following months, the facility, our volunteers, and developing the facilities on the Jingellic Showgrounds other community members delivered to a standard to a level to adequately support the cross-border which made everyone so proud! communities of Walwa and Jingellic in good times and bad, has been achieved. NSW Resilient Australia Awards – Community Category recognises the efforts and dedication of the In 2018, the committee changed direction from being Jingellic Hub Committee (current and past members) a focussed Agricultural Show Society to a more robust and all the volunteers. It celebrates the achievements organisation, dedicated to creating a range of events and activities for the benefit and amenity of our community and to attract visitors to the Upper Murray. In addition, it recognised that the Showgrounds was ideally placed to function as a Community Emergency Welfare Centre as it was home to the Jingellic Rural Fire Service and SES Community Cache, was well resourced for supporting and catering to large groups of people and its environment provided a well maintained green open space which would provide a fire break in the case of a Bush Fire crisis. This was the thrust of grant

Jingellic Hub Inc Newsletter 1/2021 Jingellic Showgrounds, 3211 River Rd, Jingellic, NSW 2642  ABN 25 314 742 717  Inc No. Y2778830  [email protected]  0411 030 939 (Secretary) of the committee to create a facility which was AGM: inducted as a Community Emergency Welfare Centre in Our AGM has been delayed because of gathering late December. A baptism of fire…. Literally! The restrictions in the climate of a pandemic. The last AGM volunteers were initially catering for fire fighters, was on 24 September 2019. The committee elected at making sandwiches for those on the fire front and the AGM has had some upheavals induced by the refreshments for those stood down to rest and rigours of bushfire recovery and circumstances: Joy recuperate. Within hours, the RFS set up a staging post Gadd (President), stepped down in February as work at the grounds and our volunteers cared for injured fire commitments had to take precedence on her time. fighters in those dreadful early days of the fire. Soon, Trevor Toholka stepped up as Acting President. Ebony the facility was receiving deliveries of food and welfare McNamara (Vice President), and Sonia Reichelt also parcels to support fire impacted community members. resigned from the Committee (although remained Then it became a fodder distribution centre. The active as Event Subcommittee volunteers). Jen Vinge volunteers arrived in force and meals were prepared (Secretary), Janice Newnham (Treasurer) and Chris around the clock to support emergency service Ford remain on the committee. Our committee needs personnel and the community. It was fortunate that rebuilding, so please consider becoming an active the facility had the diesel generator (we were all contributor and nominate for the committee at the immensely grateful for the forethought of the former next AGM, date to be confirmed but certainly within committees) because the power outage due to crisped the next few weeks. Be aware that to vote at an AGM infrastructure was of a three-week duration, during and to be aligned to the organisation you will need to which, the generator ran 24/7. The Jingellic Community be a financial member. We encourage all our community to commit to membership, after all it is a mere $10/adult and school students are free! Details can be obtained from Jen:  [email protected]  0411 030 939 (Secretary)

Grants and Funding As you are aware, Jingellic Hub Inc is a NFP (Not For Profit) organisation. We aim to make our events and activities sustainable and financially viable yet keep costs to participants reasonable. Any profit we make is ploughed back into maintenance and developing the Emergency Welfare Centre and volunteers met the Showgrounds, leveraging grants for projects, and challenge of the disaster with vigour and stoicism. The providing cash flow for future events and activities all Jingellic pavilion looked like a supermarket and for the benefit of our community. We rely on grants, cafeteria: there were people everywhere! Firefighters donations, and sponsorship to assist us with our ate, showered, and rested where and when they could! activities and decrease cost to patrons. Volunteers cooked and cleaned. Community members We have been fortunate to have been awarded several dropped by to collect supplies, to find an empathic ear grants in the last 12 months so that we can bring some and gather information. The Showgrounds morphed projects to fruition and support scheduled activities: into a BlazeAid Camp in February and volunteers were We finalised the NSW Government Stronger Country able to organise some Recovery Support activities, Communities Fund Irrigation project and the resultant thanks to the hastily formed Jingellic Recovery 10 zone (whole of oval), pop up sprinkler, bore, pumps Committee. The Jingellic Emergency Welfare Centre and storage tank are all effective and efficient at passed the test with flying colours and is a worthy maintaining our green, fire resistant space. recipient of the Highly Commended award.

Jingellic Hub Inc Newsletter 1/2021 Jingellic Showgrounds, 3211 River Rd, Jingellic, NSW 2642  ABN 25 314 742 717  Inc No. Y2778830  [email protected]  0411 030 939 (Secretary)

In May, it was announced that we had won a secure Bushfire Recovery Funding from Snowy Valleys Showgrounds Stimulus Grant from Department of Council, , Inner Wheel and Planning Industry and Development. Funds were Murrumbidgee Health for social engagement activities to promote mental health and wellbeing and enhance social cohesion. Unfortunately, Covid restrictions have severely limited delivery of these activities and to date we have managed a Ladies High Tea (13/9/20) and a Community Christmas Party (11/12/20). Once employed to upgrade the solar panel installation on the roof of the pavilion to reduce energy bills and improve the sustainability of the facility. We were also able to improve the drainage of stormwater from the vicinity of the building and stabilise the driveway and install a Geohex and turf extension of the verandah and an extended concrete apron around the building to improve safety and access to mobility impaired patrons and enhance the overall aesthetics.

restrictions ease, we intend to present several other events thanks to this funding source. The first will be a music evening featuring Mollie Waters’ Music and catering care of Café Brew. We will also farewell Janice and Dave Robertson from our community on this evening: 15/1/21 (Book now!)

Albury/Wodonga/Holbrook Rotary and Lions Clubs have been fabulous throughout the Bushfire Recovery period, supplying willing workers in teams to assist with catering, service and cooking on occasion. We are immensely thankful for their efforts to support our A volunteer Grant from Commonwealth Department of community. Social Services provide the Jingellic Hub with funding to purchase a back pack commercial vacuum cleaner, support administration of the organisation via

Border Trust has been fabulously generous and has granted us funds to assist with a mental health and wellbeing initiative “Conversations on the Couch” (of computer software subscription and Gift cards to which we have staged the inaugural event, co-funded reimburse volunteers for costs associated with by Essential Energy Community Choices Program …. An activities on behalf of the organisation. evening with Andrew Whitehead. ) We envisage conducting at least three more of these events and Jingellic Rural Fire Service and the Jingellic Recovery encourage suggestions from community members as Committee have facilitated funding for some activities to which inspirational speakers we should invite. and events on the Jingellic Showgrounds, assisting to

Jingellic Hub Inc Newsletter 1/2021 Jingellic Showgrounds, 3211 River Rd, Jingellic, NSW 2642  ABN 25 314 742 717  Inc No. Y2778830  [email protected]  0411 030 939 (Secretary)

Speaking of Andrew Whitehead, this esteemed found similar format as the sculpture with panels made from metal sculptor has been commissioned to create a found metal objects (possibly relics from community long-held dream of a feature sculpture for our members’ fire ravaged properties). The western side of community, part of a project to upgrade the entrance the entrance will be a sympathetic design to Eastern of the Jingellic Showgrounds. The sculpture will be a life side pictured. It will feature some interpretive signage, size figure of a fire fighter in action to celebrate the describing the inspiration for the sculpture, perhaps valiant efforts of the CFA and RFS firefighters whose the history of Showgrounds and acknowledge the brave endeavours have protected us over time and funding. Picture below is the current entrance. specifically during the Black Summer fires. The sculpture will be entitled “Flamin’ Hell”. We invited Andrew to speak at the first session of Conversations on the Couch in November to introduce the project to the community and to try and gather feedback as to how our community thought the pose and attitude of the fire fighter should be. There is still time to make comment! The picture is Andrew’s Tim Fisher sculpture: The Last Train to ! Border Jingellic Rural Fire Service has assisted the Jingellic Hub Trust, Private Committee by generously funding the repairs to the Donors, a Towong Old Secretary’s Office, cladding the Western exterior Shire Bushfire and interior walls and installing a new double sliding Recovery Grant door and enhanced ramp access. The Jingellic RFS has and a Regional Arts also pledged funding to assist with the Flamin’ Hell Fund Grant have project and contribute to the cost of a shipping made this container used for storage of Hub equipment and the ambitious project mobile coolroom which was purchased in March, possible and it will partially funded by Greater Hume Shire Council. commence in April 2021. A donor to the RFS generously contributed towards an air conditioner in the pavilion office The WA Strike Team funded to a new commercial glass fronted fridge for the pavilion so the capacity for supporting catering for activities, events and disaster relief is top notch!

What we have to look forward to: 15 Jan: Mollie Waters Music Night/Robbos’ Farewell (Ticketed event due to Covid, book now. $5 cover charge) February – At The Movies (We are working on another movie night)

The diagram above indicates the concept for the new March/April/May/June Friday Fundays 6.30pm, entrance: A decorative rock wall created from rocks second Friday evening of the month. spewed from the flanks of Mt Burrowa and Pine April – June we are planning another Gala UM Mountain after the fires, Andrew Whitehead’s found Producers’ Dinner (subject to Covid issues) metal sculpture “Flamin’ Hell” and gates created in a October: Jamming@Jingellic 2021

Jingellic Hub Inc Newsletter 1/2021 Jingellic Showgrounds, 3211 River Rd, Jingellic, NSW 2642  ABN 25 314 742 717  Inc No. Y2778830  [email protected]  0411 030 939 (Secretary)

So…… To conclude: 2020 is done and dusted. We have all been toasted and tested, but we stood together and supported one another. We have emerged shaken but a more resourceful and proven resilient community. Be kind and smile! It will be all right in the end…. If it is not all right, it is not the end

Steve Bowen and Santa entertained the community at the combined Jingellic Hub and Jingellic Rural Fire Service Community Christmas Party on 11 December. Murrumbidgee Health and NSW Government Funding assisted us to create a joyful event. Thanks too to St Patricks School parents’ club for feeding the masses!