Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I had a fantastic Saturday night at the Dandenong Ranges Feeding Group's annual fundraiser. They organise catering for the 15 brigades in the Dandenong Ranges and for all emergency services personnel, including police, ambulance and the SES. Because they take care of 15 brigades, it's easy to think that they feed emergency services mainly during the bushfire season, but, in actual fact, throughout the year—which ends up being their busiest time—they attend many jobs, including chemical spills, car accidents and, of course, other fires. Once a year they have this amazing fundraiser that supports the 15 brigades which include Upwey, Belgrave, Belgrave South, Selby, Clematis, Menzies Creek, Narre Warren East, Emerald, Sassafras-Ferny Creek, Kalorama, Silvan, Monbulk, Olinda and Kallista.

They raised an incredible $5,000 on Saturday night, and that money goes, as it's done in the past, for, say, satellite phones or radios or things that the local CFAs and emergency services need. I thank their chairperson, Sarah Krumins, for her work; Sue McLaughlin, secretary; Sharryn Pert-Milnes, treasurer, and Lucy Ryan, fundraising coordinator, and, of course, the 75 people from the DRFG who do such a fantastic job helping emergency services in the electorate of La Trobe.