With increased competition in the neighbourhood, we entered into the second weekend of our Christmas tree fundraiser wondering how we would fare, with 225 trees up for sale. Thankfully, the rain that started early Saturday morning stopped just as the first truck pulled into the club park, followed shortly after by our first client…a sign of things to come. In scenes resembling the Boxing Day sales, we were (almost) overwhelmed by the demand for trees, with 80 sold within the first two hours! By 3pm we had sold the day’s quota of 145 trees; by 3pm the following day, albeit quite a bit slower than Saturday, the last tree had found a home.
A wonderful result and a boost to club coffers that could only have been achieved with the unselfish support of our club volunteers. Very proud to highlight that three members of last year’s U15 side – Trent Murray, Ben Hurdle and Kyle Kelly – while not turning out in Eltham team colours this year, travelled up early on Friday with Alan Steel, Victor Murray, Jake Iacobucci and Aisea “Wise” Naulago (Jake and Wise being very generously “released” from work obligations by Roger “Trees R Us” Iacobucci) to collect 200 trees from the steamy Daylesford surrounds. A big thanks to our hard-working sales staff and delivery crews – Sylvia Metcalfe, Alana, Ava, Ari, Elijah and Harvey Su’A, Russ and Ben Hurdle, Russell and Emmerson Dunn, Adrian Reed, Mark Adams, Roger, Alan, Amden Kinnear, Sam and Orin Trollope, Shane, Selena and Ashton Slater, Rick, and Tate Mukonsa.
The feel-good story of the weekend – a lovely bloke called Archie, who upon hearing that Alan and I would be getting an Uber back to the club after dropping off the Budget trucks at Thomastown, insisted on meeting us there and driving us back to save the club a few extra dollars! Great community spirit.
One weekend to go, and with only 60 trees being ordered we are hoping to clear the books by late Saturday. All offers of help, especially for deliveries, will be very welcome. Sign up at the following link (https://volunteersignup.org/WPAFD) or contact our new club Secretary, Alicia Loughlin ([email protected]) or me ([email protected]) directly.
Tim Adams
Related Posts
