Curlewis streets were filled with cars last week when the annual Riverina Red Neck Rally stopped by.
Teams of two had travelled in cars from Trundle to Temora over five days to raise money for the children’s charity, Country Hope.
The rally has been raising money for the charity since its first drive in 2017.
Country Hope provides emotional and financial support to families of children diagnosed with cancer or other life-threatening illnesses.
The charity has run without ongoing government funding and the rally’s organisers wanted to give back.
“It’s something we are passionate about. We had seen them in our area and what they have done,” Riverina Rally director Gavin Gilbert said.
The rally is passionate about each cent raised going straight to the charity by avoiding administration costs.
Country Hope has opened more establishments in Dubbo and on the Victorian border since the rally’s launch.
Participants had travelled from Queensland, Victoria and all over NSW to take part in the rally.
Each entrant needed to raise a minimum of $2500.
One hundred and seventy people had stepped forward to participate raising $550,000 this year.
Participants with the Riverina Red Neck Rally outside the Commercial Hotel in Curlewis.
An auction was held to put funds back into the Trundle community the Sunday before the rally.
“We raised $11,500 [Sunday] night out of an auction so that’s gone back to Trundle. There is a small school that is struggling so we are giving half of that money to that school also.”
The rally started in Trundle with 68 cars and support vehicles.
It featured a diverse age range from 18 to 85 years old.
The group had previously raised a total of $2.6 million since it began in 2017.
Gavin commended on the incredible amount of money raised despite difficult circumstances.
“I never thought that they would get to that amount this year, with the floods,” he said.
“It was only four weeks ago that we finished mapping the rally because we couldn’t get on any of the roads.
“We set the limit at $400,000 this year … and it is still going.”
Before arriving in town, the event had already seen one motor replaced in Wellington and three cars that required mechanical assistance.
This was the first time the rally had stopped at Curlewis.
The teams parked at the local Commercial Hotel for a well-deserved dinner and rest on Monday night.
Breakfast was served on the Tuesday with a takeaway lunch for the road.
The rally had sold out all the rooms at the hotel with some needing to camp out.
Now in its seventh year, the rally continues to be an event many look forward to.
“It’s been really good – it’s something we are passionate about, we enjoy doing it,” Gavin said.
“It takes a lot of time but it is fun.”
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