IN 10 short years, a group called Young Aggies has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to local organisations as well as facilitate agricultural scholarships in the Moree region.
On Thursday, Young Aggies hosted the Governor of New South Wales, Her Excellency Margaret Beazley, and her husband, Dennis Wilson, at Moree Town and Country Club, with special guests including Moree Plains Shire mayor, Susannah Pearse.
The evening was part of a three-day roving tour across the Moree district, which took in visits to schools, community organisations and meetings with agriculture industry stakeholders like Young Aggies.
“The afternoon with Young Aggies was absolutely fantastic,” Her Excellency said.
“It was very interesting to see young people in Moree with great jobs and great careers, who are committed to the town and the agriculture industry – it really is fabulous.
“The amount of effort they put into the community is fantastic and, in particular, the Young Aggies ball, where they raise so much money that gets distributed to a lot of local organisations,” she said.
“That’s what we need to see – those that have that ability to help others, and are helping others, and that those needing the help are getting it.
“I really believe communities that work with each other, and help each other, are the communities that do well. After a while, it really becomes quite a big, reciprocal wheel,” she said.
Her Excellency and Mr Wilson were warmly welcomed by Young Aggies president, Ruby Tighe at Moree Town and Country Club.
“We really appreciate being acknowledged in this way with Her Excellency and Mr Wilson’s presence, and we hope the vice-regal couple learn about what Young Aggies is doing to support the Moree Shire community,” Ms Tighe said.
“We are so grateful they could be here, and we feel very privileged to share our story with them.”
Young Aggies began in 2016 as a networking group for young agricultural professionals and has grown considerably in subsequent years.
Young Aggies is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run organisation that holds several networking events and fundraisers in the Moree community.
“One key event is our Future Focus Forum coming up in June, which is a fantastic networking event where several key professionals from the community are interviewed on a panel and share their professional stories,” Ms Tighe said.
“It is a very inspiring event and gets young people thinking and excited about their future professional career in Moree or elsewhere.
“Another major event is the Gold Rush Ball, which has been our annual fundraiser in the past. We have had major success with this event, raising significant funds which go directly back into Moree,” she said.
This year, Young Aggies will shift away from the Gold Rush Ball and host a Sunset Gala at Vitonga homestead.
“Sunset Gala will focus on highlighting local produce and Grown Local, Eaten Local is our tagline,” Ms Tighe said.
“We are excited to be hosting this event, and once again raise funds for the local community.
“We hope this event will become more of a networking evening, with many of our sponsors coming along to mingle with the next generation of upcoming professionals,” she said.
Young Aggies has support a long list of local organisations in a few short years.
“Community groups are able to apply to be community partners and in recent years, Young Aggies has supported local initiatives such as the Moree Tennis Association, the new Moree Rowing Club, Moree Junior Soccer Club, Chalky’s Boxing Gym, Moree Animal Welfare League and Gwydir Industries,” she said.
Young Aggies also support community and village initiatives.
“These initiatives are run out of community halls in the surrounding areas and are often the backbone of our smaller communities,” Ms Tighe said.
“We feel it is really important to support them. As a group, we are very proud of the wide variety of community partners we have and proud that we support so many different areas of the Moree community,” she said.
A portion of money raised each year also goes towards the Young Aggie Scholarship Fund.
“Each year, four university students studying an agricultural degree are selected to complete a work placement with a business in the Moree area,” Ms Tighe said.
One recipient, Jack Wiseman, has really embraced what the Young Aggies Scholarship is all about.
“Jack did his placement at a local business at Moree and was offered a job there,” Ms Tighe said.
“He then moved to the region to finish his studies and work, and joined the Young Aggies committee. “Now, he is our vice-president,” Ms Tighe smiled.
“That is really what Young Aggies is all about – supporting young people and showing them all the great things that Moree has to offer in the hope that they will stay in the region.”
