Pakenham winners all round

ACCOUNTANT Greg Smith will soon be off to Queensland after winning the Need for Feed Bushfire Benefit Raffle.
Pakenham Lions president and Need for Feed co-ordinator, Graham Cockerell said there were about two chances of a Pakenham person not winning the recent raffle – Buckley’s and none – with Lions Club of Pakenham members Jean and Ron Butler selling more than half the tickets in the town.
The first and third prizes went to residents who work or live in Pakenham.
Mr Smith lives in Moe but works at Patison Partners Accountants on Main Street, while third prize winners Gareth and Maxine Hancock live in Pakenham.
Mr and Mrs Hancock won an Apollo Bay fishing adventure.
The raffle raised about $7,500 out of a total of nearly $23,000 raised so far, in this year’s Need for Feed campaign.
Need for Feed was started just over two years ago in response to the drought and 2006/07 East Gippsland bushfires.
The campaign is supported by Lions Clubs mostly from the Casey-Cardinia region.
To date, the campaign has raised over $150,000 in cash and fodder supplies.
This year’s fodder donations from the Cardinia Shire area have exceeded 5000 bales of hay and other stock food.
The hay has been sent in ute and truck convoys to the fire affected areas of Boolara, Labertouche, Traralgon South, Callignee, and Marysville.
The recovery effort is still happening, with Lions members calling for more people to contribute or get involved.
Lions V3 (Gippsland) District Governor, Don Blennerhassett, said: “Gippsland has thousands of kilometres of fencing to replace, of which only a small portion has been funded.”
Those who would like to lend a hand in the recovery effort can contact Terry at the Gippsland V3 Lions Clubs Emergency Fund on 5625 4862, or Graham at Need for Feed on 5944 4111.
Cheques can be posted to V3 District Lions Secretary, Terry Hayler, 15 Hearn St. Drouin 3818.