The small town of Burren Junction’s signature strong and mighty community spirit was out in full force again on Sunday, August 24, as the school’s powerhouse P and C Association rallied to raise more than $145,000 to maintain a three-teacher structure and ensure local students thrive into the future.
It was a cracking good day for The GrainCorp Long Graze, held at the beautifully restored Burren Junction School of Arts Hall. The sun was shining, cool drinks were flowing, great tunes were playing, and the fabulously dressed attendees were warmly welcomed by a quirky and clever ‘mystery hand champagne wall’ before being seated in the courtyard for a delicious feast.
More than 200 people travelled from near and far for the popular long lunch to support the Burren Junction Public School Parents and Citizens’ Association’s mission to continue providing exceptional educational opportunities in Burren by securing the necessary resources to employ an additional staff member. The role is not currently subsidised by the Department of Education.
“We believe that every student deserves the best possible education, regardless of their location,” said the president of the BJPS P and C Association Laura Bullen. “Our students come first – that’s the school vision statement, and all of us involved in the P and C want to see our children succeed.”
The fun and diverse crowd gathered to back the one very worthy cause and to foster the agricultural community’s future through auction bids and ticket sales.
The vital funds raised will also go towards covering other school resources and educational costs as well – including excursions, tuck shop, sporting gear and learning equipment.
“Thank you to our school families, community and P and C members,” said Laura. “Thank you for continuing to show up, year after year, to support the wonderful kids of Burren Junction. Whether you gave your time, your talents, your donations, or simply your encouragement- please know that it all matters and makes a difference.”
Janine Powell and John Stump were praised for coordinating sponsorships and donations. And sincere gratitude expressed to all P and C members and volunteers for their phenomenal efforts, which proved to be worthwhile with the long graze hailed ‘a stellar success’.
Sandy Shearer’s fantastic photos reflect that positive sentiment and show a sea of smiling, friendly faces enjoying a brilliant day out.
P and C logistics coordinator Alice Harris was one of the driving forces who helped to make the event magic happen. She said it took ‘many hands’ to pull the major fundraiser together.
“This event has been in the works since November 2024 and has only been made possible by the generous support of so many members of the community,” said Alice.
“We’ve had businesses donate some incredible prizes, from scenic flights to handcrafted accessories, not to mention those who’ve donated directly to the event in the form of tables, chairs and volunteer assistance.
“To have raised this amount of money to support our school is just fantastic – these funds will go directly toward securing a full-time teacher, which is so important for the kids of our community.”
The crowd was captivated by guest speaker Nathan Charles, who has been described as one of the most dynamic players in the Super Rugby Competition and he generously shared his inspiring story at the event.
At three months of age, Nathan’s parents were told that he may not make it to his 10th birthday. He had been diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis but in the face of such adversity and with a future that looked full of immense challenges, his resolve never faltered.
Thirty years on, he is living an incredible life full of bravery, grit and tenacity.
This type of event is exactly what a GrainCorp Community Fund Sponsorship was created for said GrainCorp community engagement manager Kyle Docherty.
“Supporting community connectedness is a key pillar of our Sponsorship’s program, and events like this really bring the whole region together,” said Kyle.
“Living and working in rural and remote areas, we know there’s not much a community can’t do when they come together, and this event is proof of that.”
Thank you to Sandy Shearer for providing the fabulous photos featured with this article
