ABC Friends and the ABC itself enjoyed some fresh exposure at Echuca’s “Discovery Day” early in March.

Wilma Hills, an ABC Friends Goulburn Valley member and the group’s convenor, Robert McLean, set up a stall for the four hour session.

ABC Friends Goulburn Valley at Echuca’s Discovery Day
(L-R) Echuca helper, Jack Clee, GV Friends member, Wilma Hills, and group convenor, Robert McLean.

Handing out the free ABC Friends pens and an array of ABC Friends printed flyers, both Wilma and Robert had the opportunity to explain the goals of ABC friends and how the ABC, as a public institution, is deeply intertwined with everyone’s lives.

The Discovery Day was organised by the Echuca-based Shire of Campaspe and about twenty community organizations were represented. One of the stalls was the local volunteer staffed local community radio station EMFM, 104.7.

Roger, one of the EMFM announcers, interviewed Robert live to air, and he outlined how the Goulburn Valley group came into existence, noting that its footprint covered the City of Greater Shepparton and, along with Campaspe, the Shires of Moira and Strathbogie.

ABC Friends Goulburn Valley convenor, Robert McLean, during the interview with Roger from community radio EMFM 104.7

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The Echuca stall was the first official outing for the Goulburn Valley group and as such was considered something of a learning experience. We discovered that stalls need to provide people with some cause to pause, even for a moment, so that those staffing the stall get the chance to talk about ABC Friends and clarify many of the myths surrounding the ABC.

Also, stalls need generous signage. Even though we had our large banner, a feather banner and two smaller ABC Friends signs, your name and logo need to be everywhere and on everything. We were representing the ABC and so it was critical that ABC radio was playing and maybe even a screen tuned to the ABC.

Was it a success? “For our first effort, we were happy and although not everyone stopped to talk, probably a a thousand people walked past and noted that the ABC was represented,” Robert said.

The Mayor of Campaspe Shire, Cr Daniel Mackrell, was delighted ABC Friends has supported the Discovery Day and issued an invitation for the group to attend next year.