Gympie show supporters and anyone looking for a memorable night out have been urged to keep Saturday night free on 7 October, to support Hannah Johnston’s fundraising bid to be the next Gympie Show Society Showgirl.
The 2024 Gympie District Show Pavilion and Dairy entrant has pulled out all stops, with a “paddock to plate” three-course meal, live entertainment and a series of inspirational guest speakers, starting at 5pm at Chatsworth Hall.
It is all part of what amounts to a lifetime of community work already. Hannah has been volunteering at the Show since childhood.
“For over a decade now,” Hannah said.
“I think it’s a good way to involve the community (in the Show) by helping provide exciting and interesting exhibits and encouraging people to get involved.
“In the past I have provided some of my suggestions for category ideas and they have taken some of them on board.
“I’m more than happy to help as many people as I can because floral art is a dying art in the horticultural section.
“So I believe young people can enjoy this art in a new way that most people have not identified.”
Her advice is backed by some enviable qualifications.
As a 17-year-old Hannah won Grand Champion in the floral exhibit competition and as an 18-year old achieved both Grand Champion and Reserve Champion Floral Exhibit, both in the Open categories.
“My major fundraising event is called the Haystack (and that is the big event on 7 October, starting at 5pm).
“I hope to see as many community members there as possible to help support our local farmers, who will be providing the Paddock to Plate elements.
“There are 20 farmers volunteering some of their local products or reducing prices to showcase our local produce.
“Little H cafe have kindly agreed to be our chef for this event, so there’ll be some awesome food.
“We’ll also have a live auction, with a Keith Urban signed guitar, a $1000 turf voucher including fertiliser, a $1000 voucher for Easy Travel, two tickets for hot air ballooning, two nights at Kingfisher Bay resort, a Roadcraft two-day driver education course, and then we go to the silent auction part, where there’s close to 60 or 70 items.
“We’ve been very grateful for our sponsors. Our major sponsor is Campbells Truck and Bobcat and Landscape Supply. Our Paddock to Plate sponsor is Remarkability and our bar sponsor is OZ-Tac Engineering.
“They’re the major sponsors and they’ve done an awesome job for us, along with Sanewski Hay Sales.
“Local speakers will include a representative of Hope Reins, our local equine therapy community organisation, and hay used during the night will be donated to them.
“Remarkability will also provide a speaker and as will OZ-Tac Engineering.
“”They will be doing a talk about how they can involve innovation in the agriculture sector overseas.”
Tickets are $90 each, with a discount down to $80 each for a table of 10.
Bookings can be made at 0417 194 677
