More than 2500 Victorian Scouts stopped at Dubbo for dinner on their way to the Annual Scouts Jamboree in Queensland yesterday. 

Dubbo Show Society president Marty Morris said almost 80 volunteers from different community organisations formed a working bee to prepare the meals.

“We’ve been flat-out since 9.30am,” he said.

The volunteers were divided into teams of eight and busily worked to put a quarter of chicken or pieces of roast beef on the tray which was moved to the next person to add salad.

Cucumber, cherry tomatoes, carrots, lettuce and potato salads were quickly added and the process would start again. 

Committee member Pauline McAllister said with the great help they had the meals would be finished in no time.

She said the show society accepted the contract to feed the visiting scouts as a fundraiser.

“The annual show is a very expensive event to put on for the community,” she said. 

“It is hard to raise money and so we’re happy to do it to earn extra revenue.”

Mrs McAllister said a few thousand dollars would be raised to help run the next show.

The best part of preparing the meals on New Year’s Day was the teamwork between different volunteer organisations to help the show society.

She thanked partner groups and the Royal Flying Doctor Dubbo Support Group volunteers for their love and time. 

Mr Morris said the scouts’ visit would inject hundreds of dollars into the local economy.

“All the food we have is from local suppliers,” he said.

“Anything we make will help bring Lee Kernaghan, one of the top country singer’s to the 140th Dubbo Show.”

The fun, excitement and challenging task of preparing 3000 meals in a few hours would be repeated in slightly more than 10 days’ time.

“This is the practice run,” Mrs McAllister said.

“We will feed them again on their way home to Victoria.”