THE TONGAN community has been showered in support as they ready for their Pasifika fundraiser at the Palm and Pawn this Saturday.
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It has been almost two months since the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano, and subsequent tsunami devastated the island nation of Tonga.
The United Nations estimates that approximately 85 per cent of the population has been impacted by the disaster and that 2,500 people have been left displaced.
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Sione Fekeila has been one of those leading fundraising efforts, collecting essential products, and spreading awareness of the appeal in order to send a shipping container of supplies to Tonga.
Ahead of Saturday's fundraising event, the Palm and Pawn, Wagga Reddies Rugby Union Club and Ron Crouch Transport have all joined as major sponsors of the 'Hope for Tonga' appeal.
"Ron Crouch is giving us a space in a warehouse that we drop off stuff in until with can load a container and is organising with their counterparts from Melbourne the shipping of the container ... they've given us 40 per off the total cost of the shipping container," he said.
"The Palm and Pawn have given us the space on Saturday night... and the Reddies are doing an amazing, amazing job. What you have been seeing on the media, the Reddies, they've been doing that."
Several businesses across the Riverina have also donated prizes to be raffled off during the Pasifika fundraiser, including the Gundagai Districts Services Club who have donated a 5-night stay at Merimbula's Pelican Point Apartments overlooking the beach.
A number of locally owned grocery stores too had appointed varying numbers of trolleys for Mr Fekelia to fill with non-perishable items, including Tolland IGA and Kooringal Foodworks.
He has been left overwhelmed by the generosity of the local community and is grateful for all the support.
"The love and support from the community is amazing, it's overwhelming," he said.
"This is why I call this place my home because you probably wouldn't find this in a big city, the way this community comes together."
The Pasifika fundraiser will kick off at the Palm and Pawn at 6pm, Saturday, March 12, with traditional food and entertainment provided on the night. Tickets can be purchased via trybooking.com.
Information regarding raffle tickets can be found via the Wagga Reddies Rugby Union Club Facebook page with 12 prizes on offer to those lucky enough to have their numbers drawn.
Several signed rugby league jerseys will also be auctioned, and plenty of prizes, including best dressed and best dancer, will be presented throughout the night's proceedings.
All money raised will go towards the cost of shipping all the non-perishable items donated to the appeal to Tonga.
Members of the community wishing to donate non-perishable items to the appeal can find drop-off points at the following locations:
- Foodworks Lake Albert
- SNAP Fitness Lake Albert
- Ross C's Kooringal Mall
- Wagga Trucks
- North Wagga Public School
- Ross C's Baylis Street
- Inspire Early Learning Centre
- Junee Correctional Centre
- Gundagai Bowling Club
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