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Free breakfast serves plenty of community spirit

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Emma Pritchard, Clarence Valley Independent

The delicious smell of sizzling sausages, fried eggs and fresh bread attracted a long queue of people to the 2GF and The Independent free breakfast in Grafton’s Market Square last week.

Free breakfast
The 2GF and The Independent free breakfast in Market Square on December 9 may have attracted a smaller crowd in 2021 compared to previous years, but there was still plenty of enthusiasm and hungry mouths to feed as local businesses came together to help make the event possible.
Photo: Emma Pritchard

One of the most popular events on the Jacaranda Festival program, the free breakfast is traditionally held on Jacaranda Thursday and serves plenty of community spirit, as well as yummy food.

As the barbeques fired up shortly before 7am and a hungry crowd eagerly lined up, staff from 2GF and The Independent worked fluently alongside local volunteers and representatives from supporting businesses as slices of bread and serviettes were prepared to be handed out, cold drinks and bottles of sauce were neatly arranged on the tables, eggs were promptly cracked over the hotplates and bowls and platters of fresh fruit were washed and cut in preparation for service.

While the event was free to the general public, attendees happily placed their loose change into collections tins as they stepped forward to be served, with the money going to local charities and community organisations.

This year, more than $400 was raised at the free breakfast for Clarence Valley Anglican School in support of their pre-kinder program, and many people sent their compliments to the chefs.

Several kids came back for second and third helpings.

One even cheekily confessed to having a fourth sausage.

Local resident Lynley Kerivane said the free breakfast is always a hit with her grandkids and gave them a good excuse to get up early.

“They were so upset the free breakfast wasn’t on last year, but I think they all made up for it this year,” she said.

“I think they ate three sausages each.”

The event also included live entertainment with Mak & Shar, Tullara, Blake O’Connor, Skerzo and La Bia La Zuli continuing to perform throughout the day after the last sausage was taken off the barbeque at 9am.

Paul Covington from 2GF said while the crowd was smaller compared to previous years, he was still pleased with the turn out and over the moon to be at Market Square for the event.

“It really was great to bring the community together for the occasion,” he said.

  • The 2GF and The Independent free breakfast was also made possible thanks to the generous donations and contributions made by the following businesses: Geoff Jones at Holiday Coast Meats, Grafton Hire, ELGAS, Woolworths, Tip Top Bakeries, Farmer Lou’s, Norco and Mid Coast Eggs.
Clarence Valley Independent 15 December 2021

This article appeared in the Clarence Valley Independent, 15 December 2021.

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