Rotary International will match RetireAustralia’s South Australian retirement villages that have raised over $2,000 for drought-stricken farmers in New South Wales.

Residents from nine villages across Adelaide and Port Lincoln acted to help Armidale’s Newling Gardens Retirement Village with their fundraising efforts. Newling Gardens has raised over $12,000 in total, which will be doubled by Rotary.

Anna Zinenko, RetireAustralia’s South Australian Events Coordinator, praised the residents’ generosity and described how they jumped to action when they heard that Newling Gardens was fundraising and Rotary International was to match the amount.

Glengowrie residents held a ticketed event with guest speakers, raising $900, which was topped up to $1000 with a donation from the village’s resident committee while Wisteria Grove raised $600 at a happy hour and concert event last week and a sausage sizzle at The Laurels Retirement Village at Mount Barker raised $300.

At Lincoln Grove in Port Lincoln, $1 will be donated from every meal sold from their Wednesday night menu throughout August and September and Bartonvale Gardens, Harwin and Magill have gold coin collection tins at their reception desks. Further fundraising events are planned for the coming weeks at Torrens Grove and Tea Tree Gardens.

Up to 15 per cent of South Australia is currently drought-affected, while in New South Wales the figure is closer to 100 per cent.