MEDIA RELEASE  23 Oct 2013

The local forecast for last Sunday, 20 Oct, was “fine with a chance of golf balls,” and it was spot on! 946 golf balls rained down from the sky, aiming for the target.  They were dropped from a helicopter, and the aim was to raise funds for Woolgoolga Rotary Club’s numerous programs for local youth. It was a great event, and everyone had a ball!

The drop followed a very successful Ambrose event, benefiting both Rotary and the Woolgoolga Returned Services Golf Club. From the helicopter drop, closest to the pin ($300 Coles voucher plus $200 cash) was won comfortably by the Woolgoolga Lions Club. Second and third places could only be separated by careful measurement. Dennes Fayle, a member of Armidale Rotary Club for 48 years, just edged out Mark Mihai, a local golfer who was watching the ball drop.

A notable support act was music provided by Woolgoolga High students James Morgan & Pippa Bond, both grateful recipients of the Rotary club’s sponsorship for science and engineering programs. Other Rotary programs that will benefit from the funds boost include the annual driver awareness day (RYDA), “Getting Out There Day” to prepare for life after school, training & development scholarships, public speaking competitions, Model UN Assembly teams, and school speech day awards at local primary and secondary schools.

Woolgoolga Rotary is grateful to Coles Moonee Beach for providing part of the major prize, and to Precision Helicopters for dropping the balls and for providing sightseeing flights as second and third prizes. Precision currently has helicopters helping fight fires at Lithgow and Kempsey, so that commitment is doubly appreciated.