OUT of the ashes of senseless theft and vandalism came generous campers, who threw in their dollars to raise money for a bereft Victorian family.
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Rick and Deb Willett and their three young children, from Benalla in country Victoria, had their car stolen and set alight on the early hours of Thursday morning, leaving them stranded in Tamworth with no way to get home.
Local man Scott Kelly, who owns Coffee on Wheels and Mr Snocones, picked up a bucket and began asking Showground campers to donate to the family’s plight.
Mr Kelly stopped cars as they drove past, and went from camp to camp in his fundraising efforts.
In three-and-a-half hours, they had managed to raise $1000 for the family, which covered their expensive car-hire home.
With a free concert held at the shed on Thursday night, Mr Kelly decided to donate half of the money he made from his food trucks that night, bringing the total money raised to $1220.
Mr Kelly said he was touched by the generosity of campers, with some forking out $50 notes for the cause.
Rick Willett said he was “overwhelmed” by the generosity on a very emotional day.
“They didn’t have to do that. We saw both sides of humanity that day – the worst and the best,” Mr Willett said.
The money was a blessing to the family, whose wallets went up in flames with the car and who were left without cash or credit cards.
Mr Willett is the son of New Country Blue’s drummer Bob Willett, who regularly attended the country music festival at the Showground’s shed.
It was Rick Willett’s first trip to Tamworth as an adult – a tribute to his father, who passed away a couple of years ago, and a celebration of the 20 years of community spirit the shed has enjoyed during the country music festival.