Countless committee meetings, going to business after business to ask for donations, bringing council and police on board, to spend most of the year putting it all together. And all for an event that lasts no more than seven hours.
That is what the good people of Goulburn, NSW, and surrounds have done for the past 26 years to stage the Goulburn Convoy for Kids.
And of course none of it could happen if not for the involvement of the truck industry – the men and women who expend time and effort to make sure their rigs look the part for the five kilometre run from The Gateway Service Station to the Showground.
Peter Caldow is the current president of the convoy and can’t be missed as he ‘scoots’ around in his Suzuki Mighty Boy Ute, replete with convoy stickers, twin stacks and air horns. “That thing alone ensures year round publicity,” he grins.
“The Goulburn Convoy for Kids goes beyond just kids who have cancer. Obviously they are an integral group that you support, but it is more than that. Our convoy committee is committed to helping any children with special needs.
“Being located in Goulburn, we are central with Wollongong, Bowral, Sydney and Canberra specialists, so if a child gets a diagnosis and they need to get help quickly, instead of having to wait on help from government departments, we give them the fuel money, we give them the accommodation money – we give them everything because the last thing they need to worry about is what they are going to do to get help for their child. We try to make up the shortfall in those situations.
Peter said more people are reaching out for other types of specialised help such as chemist bills.
“We have clients that have to go for regular check-ups, special fittings of items and so forth and we pay for their fuel to go to Sydney.
“We also put money back into our local hospital which last year was $15,000. That went into the paediatric ward.
“We also helped some children from our local community that went on a Terry Campese Foundation trip to Tonga. They built a library and a computer room in a village over there. This year we are in negotiations to give them a bit more help so they can take some underprivileged children across to Samoa.
“This is stuff that people don’t see or hear of, and if you don’t get in and give them a hand and give that little bit of help, those kids may miss out or may never get that opportunity.
“What is wonderful to see is that the next generations are getting involved in our convoy. For example, past president Brian Webb’s son and grandsons are all involved, which bodes well for the future.”
Upon arrival at the showgrounds, the participants – and the public – were greeted with food stands, face painting, a lolly shop (of course), and a carnival with nine different rides.
“Mum and dad pay $10 and the child gets a stamp coming through the gate,” said Peter. “If they want to write the dodgem cars 50 times it’s all good, jump on. There is no charge for the rides. This is about the kids and giving back to the community. $10 is not a lot of money and it goes to a good cause.”
To have the opportunity to be the lead truck, participants pay $40 on top of the $60 entry fee and the winner is drawn out of a hat. This year the honour went to Karsten Gebhardt and his 1987 W-model Kenworth.
“I’ve never even won a meat raffle,” said Karsten, who held his young daughter, Indy in his arms as we talked. “She is the best reason in the world to come and support this event.”
Karsten has been a stay-at-home-dad for the past 18 months. “It’s a challenge. It teaches you a bit about patience and how hard the job is. Sometimes I think it’s easier to deal with the NHVR. When she’s sleeping for a couple of hours I go down to the shed and the polish some chrome.”
The ‘shed’ contains some 9 or 10 trucks including this W-model that Karsten bought from Neal’s at Colac eight years ago.
With a 3406 CAT, 18-speed double overdrive, eight bag and Rockwell diff, Karsten pulled it apart and repainted the old girl. “I’ve spent a lot of money on it and I’m still spending a lot of money on it.”
There are half a dozen awards given out and this writer was privileged to be asked to be a judge, along with CJ of Trucking with CJ fame. We were unanimous in our choice of Best Truck – a superb example of an R600 Flintstone Mack belonging to Matt Webb.
Matt has owned the truck for nine years, having bought it from a cocky at Mirrool and undertaking a chassis-up rebuild.
A 237 Mack engine replaced the original 711, taller diffs to reduce the revs and just about everything else including a top-quality white paint job with tasteful blue pin striping and scrolling done by Harold McCracken from Albury-Wodonga.
“Dad said we should learn to drive a quad box,” said Matt who’s a Kenworth fan and has been driving for many years. “You have to learn to drive the way they used to, he said to me, so I got this.”
And how long did it take Matt to master the skill?
“I haven’t. I can get there, but it is definitely an art. For the blokes that used to do it, good on them; I struggle a bit. You learn pretty quickly to not change gears through corners and that sort of stuff.”
Two hundred and thirty-nine trucks registered for the Goulbourn Convoy, with some late ring-ins pushing that number to 250.
With their support the committee was able to raise $108,000 to add to the near $1 million raised over the past 25 years.
I would suggest this is a sterling effort from a town of 30,000. Ladies and gentlemen, take a bow – you all deserve it!
Please continue to support this and the other Convoy events that take place around the country.
- For more pics from the event, make sure you grab your free copy of the November 21 issue of Big Rigs from the usual outlet.