WINNERS ARE GRINNERS: Natimuk Agricultural and Pastoral Society's cow pat lotto winners - Vicki White, who won a Wimmera Trailer Centre trailer, James McCredden, who won a $50 voucher for Mahogany House Trading Company and first-prize winner Leanne Meyer, who won $1000 in fuel vouchers - celebrate their success. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
NATIMUK Agricultural and Pastoral Society hopes to have a new pavilion for the town's show in March after raising more than $10,000 on Saturday.
The society organised a community event featuring a cow pat lotto, dinner and band to finance the replacement of a poultry and sheep pavilion at Natimuk Showground.
Society secretary Judith Bysouth said the old shed was demolished to make way for tennis courts after the town's old tennis courts were damaged by the January 2011 floods.
She said the enjoyable and relaxed event attracted about 100 people.
"The cow pat lotto raised $7575 but our efforts for the whole weekend, including a market, the cow pat lotto and dinner, tallied up to a profit of more than $10,000," she said.
"We won't get much change from $50,000 when we build the new shed but we are hoping to have the pavilion up for the show, which is on March 23.
"We did some sums before we did the cow pat lotto and we are pretty confident we can have the savings to get it up.
"We have our planning permits and it is just a matter of ordering the shed.
"Everybody pulled together for the night; it was a great community effort and we look forward to seeing the shed go up." Natimuk district woman Leanne Meyer won the lotto's first prize of a $1000 fuel voucher, while Kath Philmore took home a water tank donated by Peter Dickerson as second prize.
Mrs Meyer said it was important to support events that improved the community.
"My daughter was an exhibitor in the agricultural and pastoral society's cake competitions and now that she is moving to Melbourne to study patisserie, these vouchers will definitely help with the trips to visit her," she said.
"These sort of community events keep the community going and keep everyone involved as well.
"It is a big job to think of something fun to do but I think the lotto was a really good idea and thanks to everyone who organised it."