Yesterday was a great day, although very tiring. Very early, we headed up to Windsor and then onto the Putty Road. We were going to the Grey Gum Cafe for the Parkinson’s NSW Market Day and fundraiser. As I mentioned a few days ago, my good mate, Dave Thompson, and my good wife, Helena, had prepared over 40 original paintings to be exhibited on the walls of the cafe. All of these were for sale with the usual commission the proprietors would have charged for the use of their venue being donated to Parkinson’s NSW.
Unfortunately, not many of the paintings sold, although that may have had more to do the fact that the majority of people in attendance on the day were motorcyclists. John and Kim at the cafe had arranged for shipping if anyone bought and couldn’t take the work home on the day, but, despite achieving lots of admiring looks and comments, it seems the crowd wasn’t really into art. The paintings will remain at the Grey Gum for another month or so and Kim is confident more of them will sell, especially to people passing through in cars who can take the works home straight away.
It was a huge day. Well over 150 motorcycles came and went during the day, including some individuals and groups who visited more than once. A big contingent of classic 60’s sports cars also turned up, courtesy of a club run by the Sydney MG Club. They didn’t know the market day was even on, it’s just that they had made Grey Gum the turn-around point for the outing.
There were stalls selling all sorts of wares, an excellent country/rock band who kept us entertained all day long and activities for the kids as well. I highly recommend the band, too
A number of raffles were held during the day for meat trays, a myriad of other small prizes with the three major prizes being one of Thommo’s original art works, a $200 gift voucher from Frasers Motorcycles and a car detailing prize for the hand car wash in Windsor. I don’t know how much was raised from all of these activities, but I believe that the Parkinson’s NSW people who were there on the day were pretty ticked at the result.
I spent most of the day alternating duties between working in the car park with my brother, directing cars and bikes to where adequate parking was available and MC’ing the event and making all the appropriate announcements. I even managed *cough cough* to sneak in a guest song with the band (thanks for the lend of the guitar, Glenn) doing a Jimmy Buffett number. What fun.
In spite of the title, the weather was superb, a classic Autumn day and the range and variety of bikes and riders that turned up was truly amazing. I’m pleased to say that VFR’s were well represented, ranging from a lovely 1990 model to a 2 week old 800 ridden by an officer from the RAAF base at Richmond.
We headed south around 1730, exhausted but happy. I’ve always believed that it doesn’t cost you to do something for someone else and that, if you do, it comes back to you one day, usually in a most unexpected way. I don’t care, in this case, if it doesn’t. I was just delighted to have been part of something great, and I can see that the Grey Gum is going to become a venue for many more of these fundraising events. Congratulations to John and Kim for their foresight and hard work and planning. If you haven’t dropped in and had a coffee there yet, you need to do so soon.
(l-r) A delicious and original Honda 750/4, Helena and Stanley, the pet Alpaca, A red and a maroon VFR800, “Carbon fibre, sir?”