From little things, big things grow, and Mount Compass Area School year 6 student Abbie Walsh is a shining example of how true that can be.
Abbie, 12, has taken a school agricultural project to the extreme in the past four months, not only blitzing the Passion Project in the school curriculum, but in the process raising about $7000 for South Australian farmers in need.
She has had school friends along for the #saveourfarmers ride, raising extra funds, and her father Damien and mother Emma have given plenty of support, which has Abbie still fundraising long after the school project is complete.
“I’m still wanting to help the farmers, to let them know people are there for them,” Abbie said. “It feels good to do a bit for people in need. I don’t think they would be expecting it from a 12-year-old.
“I’ve learnt that there’s a lot of people out there who want to help out.
“All funds raisied by #saveourfarmers go to South Australian farmers in need.”
The key to the success of her project had been social media to push along merchandise including stickers, key tags and drink coolers, which in-turn has captured the attention of businesses with donated goods used in raffles and other fundraisers.
Abbie and her team are busy packaging and selling #saveourfarmers Christmas cards and also preparing to hold another sausage sizzle at Allingtons Outpost, Parafield, on December 8, when the PBR bull riding championships are staged at the Entertainment Centre – Allingtons’ busiest weekend of the year.
“Allingtons Outpost have been one of the biggest supporters of #saveourfarmers, allowing me to sell our merchandise there and we’ve already hosted a sausage sizzle there,” Abbie said.
Nippy’s, Adelaide Ice, Foodland Pasadena and Seaford Gourmet Meats contributed to make the sausage sizzle a great success, while McLaren Vale Cage Free Eggs and Jase and Kirsty Cowling helped make another fundraiser, a farm fresh egg sales week a great success by providing the eggs at production prices.
Dozens of other businesses across the Fleurieu Peninsula kindly donated goods for a successful raffle.
Others, including Fleurieu Milk Company at Myponga, bought bulk decals or have promoted Abbie’s work on their social media platforms.
“We are looking ahead to 2019 and hope to organise a family fun day and a ute muster with live music and family entertainment.’’
Abbie next year gets her first full taste of ag studies at Mount Compass Area School.
“It’s the one lesson I’m really looking forward to … it intrigues me,” she said.