The community might be facing drought and despair, but the organisers of Emmaville's famous annual hospital fete decided the show must go on last Saturday.
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President Toni Banham said the hospital fete probably raised between two and three thousand dollars.
That was down on last year a fact Ms Banham put down to a decision by the committee to fund the raffle themselves rather than getting the business community to dip into their reserves.
"We just decided that everyone was doing it quite tough," she said.
"We had enough money in the bank to fund them and so we made that decision to not address businesses this time."
The fete helps raise money for the Vegetable creek MPS, which is the combined hospital and aged care centre in Emmaville.
The hospital committee also raises money at the Deepwater races. The money goes to fund the hospital's wishlist of non-essential items, from entertainment to comfort items.
One of the traditions of the fete that won't be dropped: the traditional carpet-bombing of children.
A light plane carrying a cluster munition filled with lollies flew over the fete, dropping the weapon of mass manduction with surprising precision.
President Banham said the $100 worth of lollies dispersed from buckets mid-air land in more or less the correct area, generating an instant Easter egg hunt.
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Old committee member Bob Coldham, who died last year, came up with the concept.
"He organised it, he knew someone with a licence and thought it would be a great thing.
"It's just been a highlight ever since!"
Kids also had their choice of jumping castles, face painting, show bags and lucky dips, a teddy bear's picnic, balloon darts, and sundry children's games. Inverell's vintage car club, and Sherelle's of Tenterfield also supported the event, the latter with a popular fashion parade.
Toni Banham said the event isn't just about money, but about offering an opportunity for the community to come together.
"It's about our residents," she said.
"They get involved every year and they look forward to it every year, so as long as we cover costs I think we'd still do it.
"Anything that can give them an interest and activities to do is a good thing; that's our job."
The committee, which Ms Banham described as "fairly new" largely work part or full-time, but she said they are fortunate to have an increasing number of volunteers.
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