Borderline Speedway makes CFS donation

Cary Jennings, Graham Lamond, John Ferguson  TBW Newsgroup
WELCOME BOOST: Borderline Speedway president Cary Jennings (left) and treasurer John Ferguson (right) hand a cheque for $3253 to Mount Gambier CFS group officer Graham Lamond collected from fundraising efforts at the speedway.

Cary Jennings, Graham Lamond, John Ferguson  TBW Newsgroup
WELCOME BOOST: Borderline Speedway president Cary Jennings (left) and treasurer John Ferguson (right) hand a cheque for $3253 to Mount Gambier CFS group officer Graham Lamond collected from fundraising efforts at the speedway.

THE Mount Gambier CFS has received a welcome boost through a cash donation from the Borderline Speedway.

Borderline president Cary Jennings and treasurer John Ferguson made the donation this week, which totalled $3253.

The money was raised through fans at the venue, with donations placed in buckets and a major cash raffle.

“For our race meetings in January, with fires everywhere over the period, the club decided we would put some buckets out for a fire appeal,” Jennings said.

“At the first January meeting we raised about $550.

“For the Kings Challenge we also had the buckets out and we had a cash bonanza raffle.

“The winner got $1000 and the rest of the funds went towards the fire appeal.”

Jennings said the club decided to help the Mount Gambier CFS group, with many of its members assisting at the speedway each meeting.

“The majority of them come from different crews that man our fire unit at the speedway,” he said.

“We appreciate them making time to help us run the speedway.

“They get training through CFS, so it is beneficial to us.”

Mount Gambier CFS group officer Graham Lamond said while it had been a horrible fire season, we had been lucky in the Limestone Coast so far.

“We have to get through another six weeks yet, but this last rain did take the sting out of things for us locally,” he said.

Lamond said the donation was appreciated, with the funds to help with equipment.

“This is much appreciated,” he said.

“Our guys do a lot of work in the community and they appreciate it when they can buy a bit of extra equipment they need.

“Most of what they need is pretty well supplied by the government.

“There is a standard stowage kit for every appliance, but there are always extras that can make the job easier.”

While the fire season has been quiet in the Limestone Coast, Lamond said many of the fire fighters from the region had gone away to help on other fire grounds.

He said he knows of one fire fighter who has gone on six deployments so far.

This season has seen the fire danger rise to another level and those fire fighters have put their lives on the line, regardless of where the incidents have taken place, showing great bravery.

“It does not matter where it is, you just have to do it,” Lamond said.

“There has certainly been some horrendous fires this year.

“I know with Ash Wednesday – I was directly involved with that and it was bad – you hear stories coming up now like you did back then.”

Lamond said he has a great amount of pride in the job his fire fighters do.

“They do exceptionally well,” he said.

“But we are just grateful for the community and what they do for us.”