Tag Archive for: Junee

Junee Can Assist take over care local markets

Junee’S popular monthly markets will continue under new management, with the local Can Assist branch stepping in to take over the event after the Junee Rotary Club handed over the reins.

For the past 10 years, Junee Rotary president John Higginson has served as market coordinator, helping grow the markets into a popular monthly attraction for residents and visitors alike.

However, after a decade in the role, Mr Higginson said it was time for someone else to take on the responsibility.

“I’ve served my time,” he said.

“I wanted to pass the banner on, but unfortunately nobody picked it up within Rotary, so that’s the end of the Rotary-branded markets.”
Last month’s markets marked the final event run by Junee Rotary, ending a decade-long chapter that helped raise funds for local projects and community initiatives.

Mr Higginson said the markets had been one of the club’s major fundraising activities throughout the year, with Rotary now needing to find other ways to generate revenue.

The future of the markets was secured when Can Assist Junee stepped forward to take over management of the event.

“Can Assist Junee is honoured to be taking over management of the Sunday Markets,” the branch said on Facebook.

“We’re also delighted to be welcoming several new stallholders to join the already amazing mix of local businesses and market favourites that visitors know and love.”

The organisation paid tribute to Junee Rotary’s efforts in establishing and managing the markets over many years, acknowledging the strong foundation laid by the club.

“We would like to sincerely thank the Rotary Club of Junee for their dedication and hard work in establishing and managing the markets over the years,” the branch said.

“Their efforts have created a wonderful community event that supports local stallholders and brings people together.

“We look forward to continuing this great tradition and building on the strong foundation Rotary has created.”

The markets will continue to be held in the car park of the Junee Ex-Services Memorial Club on the first Sunday of every month.

Trading hours will remain 8am to 1pm for most of the year, with winter markets operating from 9am to 12.30pm.

Interested stallholders are encouraged to contact new Market Coordinator, Maggie Salisbury, via email at junee@canassist.org.au.

juneebulletin.com.au
June 16, 2026

Junee Poker Run raises $30,000 for local Can Assist

The 2026 Junee Poker Run committee presented Can Assist Junee with a cheque for $30,000

 

THIS year’s Junee Poker Run has delivered one of the strongest results in the event’s 21-year history, with last month’s ride raising a staggering $30,000 for locals battling cancer.

The funds will go directly to Can Assist Junee, providing practical and financial support to residents undergoing treatment, helping cover costs such as travel, accommodation and medical expenses.

The final figure was revealed during a cheque presentation at the Junee Ex-Services Memorial Club on Sunday night.

Can Assist president Fiona Rynehart was ecstatic with the result

 

Thrilled with the result, Can Assist Junee president Fiona Rynehart praised the volunteers behind the event.

“Oh my gosh, how lucky are we,” she said.

“You have no idea how many people this is going to help. It’s just amazing.”

The result marks the second-highest fundraising total in the event’s history and comes just one year after the milestone 20th anniversary ride raised a record-breaking $42,000.

Smaller donations were also presented to the Junee Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW Junee, the Junee Volunteer Rescue Association and the Junee Scouts in recognition of their support.

Poker Run president Jen Parsons said the committee was wrapped with the result.

“To be able to hand over a donation of this size to Can Assist is really special and something we’re all incredibly proud of,” she said.

“It’s a true reflection of the time, effort and generosity of our committee, volunteers, riders and the wider community who continue to support this event year after year.”

2026 Junee Poker Run pictured leaving Junee on Byrnes Road

More than 400 motorcycles roared across the Riverina on Saturday, February 7, tackling a 250-kilometre mystery ride through North Wagga, Tarcutta, Tumut and Tumblong in sweltering conditions.

From the moment riders gathered at the Junee Showgrounds through to the final chords of the Blues Night, the event showcased the very best of regional community spirit.

This year’s result was again backed by strong community support, with 55 sponsors coming on board alongside hundreds of riders, volunteers and supporters.

It is also the second-highest number of sponsors in the event’s history, further cementing the Poker Run’s reputation as one of the Riverina’s most powerful community-driven fundraisers.

“We’re just so grateful to everyone who gave their time, energy and support, this simply wouldn’t happen without them,” Ms Parsons said.

 

juneebulletin.com.au

March 29, 2026

 

Can Assist Junee Natalie Phillips wins Junee Citizen of the Year

Congratulations to our Junee  Branch and Board Member Natalie Phillips, winning Junee Citizen of the Year.

Natalie Phillips herself said that it was an amazing feeling to receive an award like this. “I have really got no words to describe it, but it’s really quite humbling,” she said. “It is lovely that people have thought of it that way for me. “I like that the Junee community are a very volunteer-based community, and that there are always people who want to pitch in and help to make things better within the community.

“Volunteering is very rewarding, and it can be fulfilling. “I’ve been trying to get people to volunteer for years to help with different things within the community. It’s such a hard task to achieve.

“People get to see a difference once they do actually volunteer and see what they can bring to the community. “It gives people some satisfaction and some value. Junee has many people who quietly and consistently volunteer in our community, and they do amazing things. Junee is a unique town compared to a lot of others that have a lot of volunteers, whereas some communities really struggle to find that balance.

“I’m very grateful to be nominated, and I volunteer because I believe kindness matters, and that community matters and I believe if everyone gave a little bit of themselves, together the community becomes stronger.

“I thank you all again for the nomination and support, and encourage others to be a volunteer. I’m delighted that I was recognised for the award.”

Can Assist Celebrates 70 Years

Junee Celebrated Can Assist’s 70th anniversary by giving back to the community with a free fun day, featuring activities, games, and music from 12:00 pm at the Junee Bowling Club. 

 

For seven decades, Can Assist has stood beside country cancer patients -providing practical support, easing the burden, and showing care through the power of community. Fiona Rynehart, President of Junee Can Assist, told the Junee Independent about how the day went and also filled us in on their catering work at the Illabo Show last Saturday.

“It was so much fun, we had a great team of ladies and men who helped out. It was so good. We had our usual sandwiches and our beautiful scones. Wonderful cooks in Junee. I had four amazing women cooking scones for me, and they just went down a treat,” she said.

“At the 70th anniversary on Sunday, we were inundated with families. It was so lovely to see. They had so much fun. They did over 50 faces for the children’s face painting.

“It was just amazing. People were having sausage sandwiches all day. We had the lovely dipping dots and then the Three Dutchies. The lady at the Three Dutchies was inundated with coffee, hot chocolates, ice drinks and ice-cream, and drinks for the kids. It was just so good.

“My absolutely fantastic catering team did such a great job with all the bits and pieces and toys and activities they did for the kids.

“Two founding members, Rita Broad and Maureen Fitzgerald, came up and they cut the cake for the birthday celebrations.

“To top it all off, the Bowling Club have been raising funds on the side and they made a lovely donation.

“Jackie Starr had a group of ladies there. They went on a bike ride, and they came up and donated money also. “I had people everywhere. I’ve never talked so much in my life. It was fantastic. Unbelievable.

“Now we’ve got the Junee Show coming up in under two weeks, so we’re getting organised and we are having meetings this week and the week after, so we can do the catering on the Friday and Saturday at he Junee Show. “Then we’ve got Move for Life on the 1st of November, down at the Rec Centre. We are going to go down there and we’re going to help them out.

“The Can Assist girls are going to put a team in, and I’m going to go down there with pom poms and support them and give them cake while they’re riding on their bikes.

“We’re just so grateful for all our support, and I’m so glad so many of the children had such a lovely time on Sunday. “The Firies gave us boxes of wrapped-up bags of lollies for the kids and little balls. The kids were just running around playing all afternoon. They would have slept very well last night. “It was very nice. The parents got to catch up with other parents, and the children just played in the confined area, so that was very good.

“We just had so much fun with Rita and Maureen. Maureen told us an old story of how the Junee branch started, and everyone listened to that, and it was just so lovely to have them both there and cut the cake. It was a very, very special time for us, and I can’t wait to do a report up for our head office in Sydney.”

– Jack Murray

So Much Done – So Much More To Do for Can Assist

 

With the Poker Run, Ladies Long Lunch and Riverina Schoolboys Carnival done and dusted for Can Assist, they look forward to another plethora of events for the rest of 2025.

Some smaller projects Can Assist have going on are the coin balancing at the Railway Cafe, where if you can balance a coin on a lemon floating in water, you get a free coffee with change going to the charity.

Some of the larger events include the Can You Do the Distance challenge, which is a state-wide drive to raise awareness by walking 10,000 steps a day.

Fiona Rynehart, President of Junee Can Assist, told the Junee Independent about some of the things coming up in the community.

“We are having a party to give back to the community, the day after the Illabo show, the 12th of October at the Bowling Club,” she said. “We are just going to have something really simple, a sausage sizzle and things for kids to do, and then all the people from Junee can come.

“The milestone we are celebrating is hugely important. 70 years of Can Assist in the country. It’s just absolutely amazing. The Can Assist branches throughout New South Wales they’re all going to have different celebrations during the year.

“We just want to give back to the community because they donate money to us, they buy our raffle tickets, and they come to our gatherings. They help us with so many things. There will be barefoot bowls, face painting and lots of different things. We want to give back to the community for helping us so much.

“The Father’s Day street stall is also coming up. We’re going to have barbecue and we’ll have the street stall.

“Then we start into the show circuit. We will be catering for the Illabo show in the kitchen, and then we’ll cater for the Junee Show.”

– Jack Murray

 

21 August 2025

juneeindependent.com.au

Junee Poker Run Nearly DOUBLES Last Years Can Assist Donation

The Junee Poker Run had completely annihilated previous milestones with a jaw-dropping $42,000 donated during Can Assist’s meeting at the Junee Ex-Services Club last Thursday.

Poker Run representatives handed the cheque to a room of shocked Junee Can Assist members who were blown away by the record breaking amount.

This is over 15 grand more than last years’cheque.

President of Junee Can Assist, Fiona Rynehart, said she was so surprised when they gate-crashed their meeting.

“The meeting all just stopped mid track and they all walked in with their shirts on and they had this cheque that was turned around and they wouldn’t show us the amount that was on the cheque,” she said.

“They started doing a speech about how special the 20th was and what a great reception they had, how many sponsors they had and then they turned around and said “and this is what we are giving you this year” and you could have knocked me over, oh my God, $42,000.

“I thought it was $28,000 they gave us last year and that is a huge amount of money but $42,000 is going to be able to help so many more people and we are also now going to investigate if there is other things that we can do to help our clients in the Junee Shire.

“There have been a few ladies diagnosed with breast cancer and we are going to see if we can do some more things for them now too. It’s one very big day when we do the Poker Run. It’s very exhausting but so worthwhile. It’s my second Poker Run I’ve done as President and the volunteers were amazing. I’ve got the books down pat now so we know what we have got to do.

“It was very, very good and as I’ve said previously, we cannot do without our volunteers. They are absolutely amazing and they go beyond to make sure that everything goes right on the day.

 

19 March 2025

juneeindependent.com.au

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Lee’s Story

 

Back in summer 2023 Lee was at home in Junee, tolerating what she thought were hemorrhoids. Her GP referred Lee for a colonoscopy in Wagga and to a colorectal surgeon. After more tests, it was discovered that Lee didn’t have hemorrhoids but anal canal adenocarcinoma – a very rare, very aggressive cancer of the sphincter muscle – an unlucky cancer. 

Lee’s treatment plan was to try to retain her sphincter so starting in April she had radiotherapy in Wagga, and oral chemotherapy at the same time – 5 days a week for 6 weeks. Then Lee had non-oral chemo after that. Her treatment finished in November. 

Lee knew of Can Assist in Junee due to their local fundraising and knew that she would need to approach them if she wanted assistance. And Lee knew that she would need assistance – from friends she knew cancer was financially taxing as well as emotionally and physically taxing. And Lee had retired, and her husband had just retired. Can Assist assisted with out-of-pocket costs at the Riverina Cancer Care Centre for Lee’s radiotherapy and chemotherapy, pharmaceutical bills and gap expenses associated with specialists’ bills. “It was absolutely amazing to have such support. I’m so grateful that we have Can assist out here in the country, because it’s so far for people to go to their treatment. Can Assist talked to me about how best they could support me – I wasn’t on my journey alone so there was emotional support as well which was wonderful”. 

As of August 2024, Lee is back on the cancer merry-go-round as Lee has the unluckiest cancer – again. She will be reaching out to Can Assist again as she doesn’t know what her new cancer journey will entail. 

Tag Archive for: Junee

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