Contributed by Barry Hildebrandt, Dubbo South Rotary

Dubbo South Rotary and the Royal Flying Doctor Service will continue a $2 million, 35-year involvement with a black tie gala ball on Saturday, May 3.

The Outback Trek Café at the RFDS headquarters on the Dubbo Regional Airport site will be transformed into a ballroom and cater for 400 guests.

All 10 tables will be sold at the end of this month and the RFDS will be the recipient of major funds from the function.

South Rotary and the RFDS go way back to 1990 when a group of Rotarians organised a seven-day four-wheel-drive trip into the outback.

That event was called Destination Outback (DO) and in August last year DO and it’s 150 participants were out and about raising funds in the outback regions of NSW, South Australia and Victoria.

Held each two years, DO raises some serious money for the RFDS.

To supplement DO, another group of Rotarians put in plan a black tie ball to continue to raise funds for the RFDS. This will be the sixth ball.

The results so far have been outstanding, and organisers hope that the upcoming ball will be just as successful.

Black Tie Ball committee chairman Fred Griffiths, a long-time member of the Rotary Club of Dubbo South, said the next month will be a busy time for his group.

“So far, the project is shaping up well. Particularly, we have had wonderful support again from the RFDS management to ensure the venue is suitable again,” he said.

“We don’t have major sponsors for the ball, instead we get tremendous support from local businesses, Rotarians and others who book a table of 10 people.

“Other supporters of South Dubbo Rotary also come on board with donations of goods and services and particularly auction items.

“There is a lot of hard work that goes into the ball as we take over the Outback Trek Café for three days. Come Sunday afternoon we will have everything back in place for the opening of business on Monday for the RFDS.”

Mr Griffiths said ball features again this year will include having The John Field Big Band provide the music, and Eat Your Greens from Eugowra serving a wonderful meal.

The 2025 ball also takes on a new look this year with two major raffle prizes, the first prize being a Vesper GTS300 75th Anniversary, a very different mode of transport but one that would fit nicely into most garages. The second prize is a $7000 travel voucher. Tickets are $50 each and can be purchased on-line.

The success of the ball will not be possible without the support of local businesses and other organisations.

For example, the Dubbo Dragon Boat members will be working the bar, the Pink Ladies will have members on hand to sell bar and raffle tickets, and other groups will be assisting with parking, security and the like.

Mick O’Neill and his Help A Mate group will boost their mental health fundraising by providing bins for return-and-earn bottles and cans.

“The Rotary Club of Dubbo South RFDS Black Tie Ball is another community fundraiser, and the Rotary club is indebted to the local community for its contribution in many ways,” Fred Griffiths said.

“The efforts of sponsors and the like is evident, but it is the interest from the people of Dubbo and surrounds who buy raffle tickets that makes a significant difference to the bottom line profit – which will be used by the RFDS and for our Rotary club community projects.

“If you do not come to the ball, we ask you to do your bit by purchasing a raffle ticket.”

And while the Ball committee is doing the hard yards up until May 3, Rotary Club of Dubbo president Simon Keough will be looking to his members and anyone else who would care to help to take part in the working bees on Friday and Saturday, May 2 and 3, and again on the Sunday after ball. Just turn up at the RFDS and they will find a job for you.