The biennial Rotary FNQ Field Days being held at Mareeba’s Kerribee Park between Wednesday May 24 and Friday May 26 are expected to be a great success again after close to 16,000 people passed through gates at the event in 2015.
Site numbers have doubled since the 2013 event with 500 exhibitor locations available this year, demonstrating the increasing popularity of the field days.
Crowd favourite events such as the Inventors Competition, Rotary John Deere Tractor Pull and Vintage Static Tractor Display will all be returning this year.
Mareeba and Atherton Rotary Clubs presidents Stephen Gear and Andrew McCosh respectively are full of praise for the field days and how the money raised helps them fund important community projects.
Mr Gear said the funds have enabled his club to fund the installation of TVs in patient wards at Mareeba Hospital and a playground for the facility.
“A lot of our money goes back to the Mareeba Friends of the Hospital Foundation.
“We also reinvest money by supporting groups and projects like the National Youth Science Forum and the Rotary Youth Driver Awareness program.”
Mr Gear said the field days are his club’s major biennial fundraising event which allows them to continue supporting local groups.
“We also provide free sites to the RFDS, the Black Dog Institute and QCWA.”
Mr McCosh said money raised from previous field days had enabled his club to help fund the Rocky Creek Igloo restoration project and a multi-purpose facility at Atherton Aerodrome.
The club also donated molasses and hay to Gulf bushfire victims in 2012 and held a “BLAZE AID” charity ball in 2013 to raise money for graziers doing it tough.
Rotary District 9550 Governor Ida Portella said the field days now being held over three days presents an excellent opportunity for both clubs to raise even more money for their worthy causes.
“I’m sure they’ll spend their money wisely and give back to the community through projects that do some good,” she said.
“I think both clubs work really well together and the fact they partner to put on the event is terrific.”
Click this link to see the full Rotary FNQ Field Days preview published in the May 18 edition of the North Queensland Register.
