Drop into Trader & Co. and you’ll find a box collecting essential items such as shampoo, nappies and deodorant for the Doing It for Our Farmers Toiletries Drive. See the list on the box for all items to donate and drop money into collection jars on both counters to fund additional items and cover costs of getting them to farmers.

Boots and Buckles is selling tickets for the Mates in the Bush raffle, run by Drought Angels, an initiative that provides direct personal contact to affected farmers. Tickets are $20 and prizes include a Kitchen Aid Cook Processor and $500 of The Chefs Toolbox products. The raffle will be drawn on September 5.

IGA Yass has raised around five pallets of dry goods from customer donations, which owner Steve Smith will now double! This is then going to the Doing It for Our Farmers Donation Drive, which is after boxes to distribute the goods to needed farmers. They can be contacted via their Facebook page.

The National Drought Relief Appeal, run by Australian Lions Foundation, is pulling in money from a few organisations and businesses in town. Yass Lions Club has donated $500 of its own money to the appeal and raised a further $3,000 via collections.

Yass Club House Hotel is running a palmer for a farmer initiative until the end of September, with $2 from every chicken palmer purchased going to the Lions’ appeal. The club also hosted its sponsoring team, Yass Rams Rugby Union Club, after its home game on Saturday August 4 and through a thrift shop themed night, the guys put plenty of money into a bucket that will go to the same appeal.

An additional $4,000 for the Lions’ appeal is coming from Yass Vine Church and Community Centre, after its fundraising breakfast on the same Saturday. Over 100 turned up for the event and also donated a large amount of non-perishable groceries.