North Midlands annual golf day rallies support for first aid

In Western Australia's wheatbelt, the North Midlands community is ensuring vital first aid support is available by rallying through its annual charity golf day and auction. This initiative aims to equip local residents with life-saving skills, particularly crucial in a region where emergency services may face long travel times.

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In 2017, the year was looking a bit dry, and people were a bit down, so we came up with a theory that we could use that money to bring people together and provide them with life skills, so we started providing the free first aid courses.

Since 2017, the funds raised have enabled the provision of free first aid courses to nearly 1,300 individuals across several towns, including Three Springs, Carnamah, Coorow, and Eneabba. Merle Isbister, a volunteer ambulance driver and trainer, highlighted the importance of these skills, noting that in emergencies, immediate first aid can be the critical difference while waiting for professional help.

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Since 2017, we've actually delivered 131 classes to people in … Three Springs, Carnamah, Coorow, Eneabba, Morawa, Perenjori and we've trained nearly 1,300 people in First Aid courses.

The golf day, a highlight on the local calendar, has been instrumental in this effort. Since its beginning in 1998, the event has generated $226,000. This year's event saw approximately 90 people participate, enjoying a day focused on fun while contributing to a significant cause. The funds raised support the St John North Midlands sub-centre, which relies on a small team of volunteers.

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Although we haven't had a lot of people come forward to be volunteer ambulance officers, hopefully we've been able to provide people with life skills and knowledge to be able to help their loved ones or their workmates in the event of an accident occurring or while they wait for an ambulance to arrive.

David Mutter, president of the Three Springs Golf Club, emphasized the event's dual focus on enjoyment and fundraising. The "shotgun" start format ensures efficient play for all participants, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. The initiative not only provides essential skills but also brings people together, strengthening community bonds in the North Midlands region.

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That's how we roll here; we make it fun for everyone, and just if someone can leave their life behind for two hours … and