Bribbaree’s local not-for-profit organisation usually host their fundraiser one night a month but was not available on the night, so the club had to look to elsewhere

Secretary of Bribbaree Bowling Club, Kathy Tetley said that she had heard about the work Father Riley had done and was interested and keen to help.

“I have seen and heard about the work he does, and now he is coming into rural areas so I thought why not do something for Youth Off The Streets,” Mrs Tetley said.

“In the past we have ran events for Care Flight, CanAssist and Pink Ribbon so we wanted to do something different.

Mrs Tetley never thought she would be able to attract Father Riley to a little place like Bribbaree, but when she emailed the organisation to inform them of what they were doing she thought she would put in an invite.

“There was no harm in asking, but I definitely didn’t expect him to accept, I thought he would be way to busy, it was quite a surprise” she said.

Father Riley said he thoroughly enjoyed his trip and would go back anytime.

“I attended their last for the year and they wanted to make it a fundraiser for us and during my talk I indicated that they didn’t need to raise funds as I was aware that country people were doing it tough,” Father Riley said.

“I said it was enough for me to be in the company of such wonderful people, they were insistent on raising funds and the incredible thing is they raised almost $5000,” he said.

Father Riley described his time in Bribbaree as ‘amazing’.

“They were absolutely amazing, they listened with great interest to my talk and afterwards many wanted to have their photo taken with me and I would return to the community anytime,” Father Riley said.

Mrs Tetley believes it was a great achievement.

“We are very proud of it, it was a fun evening and we were happy to help something like this and you never know, one of our kids may need it one day,” Mrs Tetley said.

Father Riley told the Bribbaree people of a ‘lavish political function’ in the inner-city and how he sat with people who were very ‘cranky’, and spoiled what could have been a good night.

He said his reception at Bribbaree was different.

“When I arrived in Bribbaree the welcome and warmth was so refreshing, good old country people who cared, I say yes to small country areas as I grew up on a dairy farm,” he said.