Playford Councillor Clint Marsh, Munno Para Little Athletics Club President Russell Davies, Emmetts Roseworthy staff members Hayden Morris and Caitlyn Duffield, and Munno Para Little Athletics Club committee member Brendan Banks. PHOTO: Supplied
Brendan Simpkins
MUNNO Para Little Athletics Club’s president Russell Davies was in tears last week following a donation that took him by surprise.
On November 4, a ride-on mower was stolen from the club and set alight in Stebonheath Park, Andrews Farm, in the early hours of the morning.
The story resonated with people from around the state, which prompted an outpouring from almost every corner of South Australia.
More than $5000 in donations from towns such as Orroroo and Goolwa flooded in after the news broke.
But it didn’t stop there, with Emmetts at Roseworthy donating a brand new mower to the club last Thursday.
Mr Davies is still overwhelmed by the support more than a week later.
“Most people that know me know I’m never short for words, but I was absolutely gobsmacked at how the community came together,” he said.
Staff at Emmetts put together the mower the morning of the donation and after every two years the mower will be replaced by a brand new one.
Damage was estimated at $3000 to $5000, which included repairing a fence that had been cut and broken locks on the shed doors.
The club is a not-for-profit, with registration fees and sausage sizzle fundraisers it’s main source of income.
The money is used to purchase new equipment for the children.
Mr Davies said that with the new mower, and not having to worry about purchasing a new one due to the donation from Emmetts, the club would be able to focus on purchasing new equipment.
Mr Davies thanked everyone who had donated and who had called the club offering to help where possible.
Meanwhile, the club is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and is one of the oldest of its kind in the state.
Three weeks into the season after it started in October, 105 kids had registered with the club compared to 128 for the whole of last year.
A number of community groups also utilise the athletics facilities for events like sports day.
Playford councillor Clint Marsh, a strong supporter of the club, said it was an asset to the City of Playford.
He hoped that the club would continue to grow with further investment and infrastructure improvements in the future.
