Community spirit alive and well at the Ridge
One good turn deserves another is the way things generally happen in Lightning Ridge.
When the Men’s Shed in Lightning Ridge became defunct last year, decisions needed to be made as to what to do with equipment that belonged to the non-operational organisation.
The barbecue trailer was just one of the items belonging to the Men’s Shed that needed rehoming.
The remaining volunteers of the Men’s Shed got together and nominated the NSW Rural Fire Service, Lightning Ridge branch as the new owner of the barbecue trailer.
The Lightning Ridge Branch of NSW RFS has around 16 volunteers on call, of which about six are female. The local branches upgrade their facilities through fundraising efforts when they are not fighting fires.
The local RFS team got to put their new BBQ to use at the Lightning Ridge Easter Festival over long weekend, raising funds to repair and retile the RFS building in town.
Local artist John Murray noticed that the trailer, which he had been previously painted for the Men’s Shed several years ago, had a makeshift paint job covering up the Men’s Shed label.
In true Lightning Ridge community spirit, John Murray offered his services to repaint the logo on the trailer.
When the local RFS volunteers, Captain Kevin (Grassy) Kelly and Secretary Sandra Slade, thanked John Murray for his generosity with the repaint on the trailer, he humbly said, “It’s the least I can do for all the RFS does around the town, you are true heroes.”
The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) is the world’s largest volunteer fire service. Their members provide fire and emergency services to approximately 95 percent of NSW. NSW RFS members attend a range of incidents and activities.
The NSW RFS is the combat agency for bush, grass, structure fires and transport incidents in the rural fire district. It is also the lead agency for coordinating bush firefighting and prevention throughout the State.
For the year ending June 2009, the NSW RFS recorded a membership of more than 2,065 rural fire brigades and 70,701 volunteers who were equipped, supported, trained and operational across the State out of 50 fire control centres.
The RFS is always on the lookout for volunteers in Lightning Ridge. For any further information, call Sandra Slade on 0473 481 944, or for other locations, contact the RFS on their website at rfs.nsw.gov.au.
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