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GOOD NEWS: Council CEO Chris Cowley, Whyalla Show Society President Tamy Pond and Whyalla Mayor Lyn Breuer look forward to the Whyalla Show after Council's contribution to replace stolen lights.
The Show will go on in Whyalla!
The City of Whyalla has jumped in with a timely donation to help save the 2018 Whyalla Show after the organising society was hit twice this month by thieves.
A break-in to the Whyalla Show Society’s offices earlier this month saw tickets and money stolen. The society’s shed was then hit last week with lights, cords and power boxes stolen.
Without these lights, and with the Show just weeks away in August, the society faced the real prospect of it not going ahead.
“Without these lights we couldn’t operate at night,” Whyalla Show Society President Tamy Pond said.
“That would mean no night rides, no fireworks … we would have had to shut at 5pm each night.
"The atmosphere just wouldn't have been the same and it would have put the Show in serious doubt.”
Tamy said the response from Council had been amazing after the latest break-in blow.
“Within ten minutes of putting on post on Facebook about the shed break-in, the Mayor Lyn Breuer was on the phone to me followed quickly by the CEO Chris Cowley and the Deputy Mayor Clare McLaughlin,” Tamy said.
“I was blown away, that was on Friday and by Monday this week we’d set up a meeting.
“By Tuesday, Council had pledged $2000 and the CEO was out shopping with us for lights.
“Council has saved the Show and the whole society is so extremely thankful for that.”
Tamy paid special tribute to the CEO Chris Cowley for his prompt action to save the Show. Chris is no stranger to the Show having served as a volunteer at last year’s event.
“Chris came down and contributed some much-needed manpower at last year’s Show and he has pledged to rope in more people to help out this year,” Tamy said.
“We are down on numbers on our committee so this sort of help is also invaluable.”
Chris said the support from Council wasn’t hard to justify for an event so important for the Whyalla community and so entwined in the history of the city.
“The Show is a critical event for Whyalla and the Show Society does a massive amount of work to make it happen every year,” Chris said.
“The loss of the lights was a major blow and it was a no-brainer for us to jump straight in and help out.
“The Show is run by a team of hard-working volunteers and Council is all about helping volunteers and community events.
“We’re rapt to be able to help in this manner and we’d encourage more people to get involved in this key community event as volunteers.”
The Whyalla Show is on Saturday and Sunday, August 18 and 19 this year. Anyone able to volunteer a few hours is invited to contact the Whyalla Show Society on 8649 1800.
Whyalla Show programs are available at the front counter of the Council offices in Civic Building on Darling Terrace.