Toyota

Toyota Country Club

Toyota’s ongoing commitment to rural Australia

Toyota has a long history of supporting rural Australia – through country music festivals, environmental initiatives and grass-roots sporting programs.

Each year, Toyota brings together Australia’s top country music stars to perform in the Toyota Concert for Rural Australia in Bicentennial Park at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. This concert helps raise much needed funds for drought-affected rural and remote communities.

To the delight of country music fans, Lee Kernaghan, The McClymonts and Melinda Schneider are regular performers at the Toyota Concert. Admission is free, and baskets are passed throughout the crowds who make donations during the concert as well as at collection points set up at the Toyota Country Theatre. Monies raised are then donated to regional groups and organisations supporting rural communities.

Toyota also supports Australia’s up and coming country music talent by hosting the Toyota Star Maker Awards each year at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Entering its 30th year, the Toyota Star Maker Award has a long-standing history of uncovering some of the biggest names in the Australian country music industry including Keith Urban, Lee Kernaghan, The McClymonts and Beccy Cole.

During the Toyota Muster at Gympie, proceeds from the sale of Toyota merchandise goes directly to the Rural Aid Appeal and one lucky rural community group or organisation is awarded a brand new Toyota vehicle to help with its efforts. Over the years, the Rural Aid Appeal has supported numerous charities selected by a panel of independent and highly respected judges.

On the sporting field, Toyota has donated more than $1 million over the past four years to grass-roots Aussie Rules footy clubs. Toyota’s contributions help clubs throughout regional Victoria and Southern New South Wales to purchase much-needed sporting equipment and to improve and maintain club facilities. These funds help to cultivate regional football and to encourage AFL stars of tomorrow.

With much of our Toyota National Dealer Network located in rural Australia, Toyota is committed to providing ongoing support to regional causes. To find out more about Toyota’s regional initiatives please contact your local Toyota Dealer.

Toyota Musters up support for local communities

The Chinchilla Student Accommodation Association (CSAA) was recently named a major beneficiary of the Rural Aid Appeal at this year’s Toyota Gympie Muster. In addition to receiving funding they also won a brand new Australian built Camry Altise (LM).

Managing a hostel facility in Chinchilla, QLD, the CSAA provides isolated families with a safe and secure housing option for their children attending schools in Chinchilla.

Each year the hostel, also known as Leichhardt House, houses 36 high-school-aged boys and girls. Mrs. Libby Raleigh, Chinchilla Student Accommodation Association Secretary, said CSAA gives children from remote areas access to a whole new world of exciting opportunities.

“Many of our kids come from really remote areas, and if not for our hostel, their parents simply couldn’t afford to send them to boarding school. Life at Leichhardt House opens them up to playing sport, learning music and attending career workshops. Now they have access to everything and anything going on in the town.”

During the week, students eat breakfast together, make their own lunches and then go to school. In the afternoon the students come back to Leichhardt House and the bus is then used to run them all over town to every after school activity imaginable. Mrs. Raleigh said purchasing a new vehicle with the Rural Aid funds has been great for the hostel.

“Transport really is an integral part of our hostel. It gives our kids the opportunity to do things they have never even dreamt of doing before.

“At times the children used to have to push our old bus and at other times it didn’t go at all. So having a new car to help us get the kids to all of their activities is just magic for us.

“We’re out and about non-stop between 3:30pm – 10:30pm every weeknight taking the kids to footy, music, Taekwondo, and all sorts of things they’re experiencing for the very first time.

“Given the opportunity here, all of our kids shine,” she said.

Other non-profit organisations chosen to benefit from the Rural Aid Appeal this year include sporting groups, playgroups and local events amongst others.

To find out more about the Toyota Muster visit www.muster.com.au

Gympie