Unique country music event raises $4000 for Alzheimers Northland

An annual Northland country music festival has again proved to be an amazing fundraiser with the Wai Worry Country Music club donating $4000 to Alzheimers Northland from the event.

The Wai Worry Country Muster was held in the woolshed on Phil Godfrey's farm at Aranga, about 40km north of Dargaville over three days in January with a large crowd attending, including people in about 100 motor homes who regularly attend the concert. There was also a hoedown at the Kaihu Tavern.

It featured a range of Northland and national country music artists Careen Still, The Tradesmen, Reg McTaggert, Joy Adams, and Craig Robertson, and every year the event raises money for a charitable cause.

This year's show raised $4000 for Alzheimers Northland, which was delighted to receive the donation, General Manager Kevin Salmon said.

Godfrey said the club had been running the event for about 14 years.

''We used to do it just for fun, but Carleen is a great fundraiser so we decided to make it a charitable fundraiser too and here we are.''

Still said Alzheimers was one of those causes the effects so many people and the organisers always tried to pick a good charity to support.

''Last year we did the Northland Rescue Helicopter and next year's going to be Heart Kids,'' she said.

Salmon said this time of year could be tough on the fundraising front, with many people still recovering from Christmas expenses, so the $4000 donation from Wai Worry was a ''real big amount for us now.''

''It's a great return for little effort and it's nice that people think about us. This will help us provide our services across the region.''