The 27th February produced an excellent display of footy for fans in Bellingen with the Matthew Locke Charity Match.

Despite the pouring rain the night before, Saturday afternoon had both glorious weather and a huge gladitorial display of football finesse.

A seesawing match saw Thunder end up ahead in a close match where winners and losers were only seperated by the smallest of margins. 22 to 20 in Thunder’s favour.

What a great job the Magpies and Thunder organisers and all those helpers, the Lions Club, 41st CO Battalion Royal NSW Regiment Reserves, Bellingen Valley Dorrigo Juniors, Graham Matthews and Lee Ann Martin, Greg White, Brian Darby, Victor Sports, David Peachey and all those donors and sponsors.

Congratulations go the winners, the people of Bellingen.

The Grub Club has received correspondence from Afghanistan confirming that the delivered supplies have been distributed to four schools: Saidal Khan High School, Saidal Khan Primary School, Malali Girls School and Yaklinga School.

Following is the letter received from Dr Ajab Noor, Provincial Director of the Afghan Health Development Services (AHDS):

To Ms Debbie Locke

Thank you once again for your kind contribution of education supplies that your foundation has donated for the children of Uruzgan. I am pleased to report that the supplies were successfully distributed by the Afghan Health Development Services under the AusAID funded School Health Education Project, that is managed by Save the Children. The supplies were distributed to four schools in Tarin Kowt as part of our hygiene and basic health training. If you look at the spreadsheet that is included, you will see where the materials were distributed.

I would like to thank you on behalf of the children from these schools. You can see from photo that the children were very happy to receive your donation.

Dr Ajab Noor
6 November 2009

WHERE: BELLINGEN PARK
WHEN: 27th February, 2010
COST: Adults $5 each; Children free

On Saturday 27 February 2010 the Australian Army Rugby League team will once again play Bellingen Valley/Dorrigo Rugby League team in what is turning out to be an annual event.   This day for footy lovers is being played in honour of the memory of the late Sergeant Matthew Locke from Bellingen who was killed in action in 2007 whilst serving Australia in Afghanistan.

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We are extremely pleased to welcome Jim Molan, Major General (retired), as patron to the Grub Club.

Retiring from the Australian Army in July 2008 after 40 years, Jim Molan has seen service across a broad range of command and staff appointments in operations, training and military diplomacy.

An infantryman, an Indonesian speaker, a helicopter pilot, commander of army units from a thirty man platoon to a division of 15,000 soldiers, commander of the Australian Defence Colleges, with service in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, East Timor, Malaysia, Germany and the US, and commander of the evacuation force from the Solomon Islands in 2000, all provided the necessary background to his most demanding posting to Iraq.

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Grubclub is able to announce that the Charity Football match will be going ahead next year and it looks like being bigger and better than ever thanks to the great efforts of Nick and Graham Matthews and Lee-Ann Martin.

On the 13^th July, 2009 Debbie Locke and friends set off on the three hour journey to Sydney to deliver another load of  boxes of educational supplies to the DNSDC in Moorebank for delivery to Oruzgan Province schools. Included in these supplies were over 1500 exercise books and 2500 pencils, coloured pencils and crayons. There were also 65 soccer balls and over 350 tennis balls. It was with great pleasure we were able to assist Proserpine State School  who raised a colossal three boxes of pencils and rulers through their own efforts. These supplies have also gone off to be handed out to school children by Reconstruction Task Force and AusAid representatives in Oruzgan.

On 13 June 2009, the Rotary Club of Rylstone- Kandos held its annual Trivia night at the Kandos RSL Club. Around 150 locals attended and the night was as always jammed packed with trivia, raffles, auctions and healthy competition. This year the Grub Club was a recipient of a very generous donation of $1000.00. We owe thanks to Amanda and David Roach who have been avid supporters of our efforts and who also allowed me to do a presentation to the local Rotary members last year. It was from this presentation that our efforts became known locally resulting in the support from the Trivia Night. I also need to thank many generous people who donated prizes including The McClymonts, Troy Cassar-Daley, Pete Murray, The Dukes of Windsor, The Songbirds (Sara Storer, Beccy Cole, Gina Jeffreys), Sneaky Sound System and Adam Brand. Donations also came from many locals including Baautiful Ewe, The Globe Hotel, Lollipop, Carlton Café, Bizzy Birds, Rylstone Newsagency, CRT Rylstone, Murdan’s, Yours and Mine Hair and Sportscene Bathurst.  It was a great night with a table of local Kandos High School teachers, which included the Grub Club’s Debbie Locke, winning the night.

On the 10^th January 2009, Debbie Locke was invited to Admiralty House Sydney to meet Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce, Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia. This was a great opportunity to discuss with the Governor General our objectives in Oruzgan which correlated with her own ideas of helping the plight of all women and children. While sipping coffee out of delicate china cups, Debbie was able to talk to both the Lt Gen David Hurley and Lt Gen Ken Gillespie about the situation in Afghanistan. It was also remarkable because the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd happened to drop in for a cuppa from next door. The message that was passed on from these gentlemen was that winning hearts and minds would be part of the battle in Oruzgan and humanitarian projects were very important in this process.

In November 2008 OPEF were able to help another organisation in Afghanistan. Mahoba’s Promise like many humanitarian organisations faces huge cost when delivering goods to Afghanistan. We were able to donate some beanies and scarves and help get them delivered to Hope House in Kabul. Following our own meeting with the Governor General she went on to meet with a representative of Mahoba’s Promise, Obaidullah Oriakhail.