Community Display | Bowral NSW

Wednesday: 29 October

The Great Arrival Adventure
Our day kicked off bright and early at 8:15 am when we rolled out from our church base camp with Bubsie in tow. You know you’ve got a special vehicle when the Woolworths supervisor does a double-take! “She might not fit”, but fit she did, sliding into the loading bay like she owned the place.
Here’s the catch though: Bowral was cold this morning, and Bubsie, being the diva she is, refused to cooperate with the chilly weather. No amount of coaxing could convince her to start, so our crew had to get hands-on. We pushed her out of the trailer and into position at the entry doors, created a little VIP zone with some bollards, and settled in for the day ahead.

Getting the Word Out
By mid-morning, excitement was building! At 9:30 am, Kevin sat down for a live interview with Graham from the local radio station. Little did we know this would be a game-changer for our day—the airwaves were about to work their magic.

The Crowd Rolls In
Throughout the day, a steady stream of curious visitors came to check out Bubsie. And they kept coming! Many had caught the radio segment and made the trip specifically to see her. Weather-wise, things got pretty cold at times—the temperature dropped and drizzle came down in waves—but we were thankful for that sheltering roof. Originally, we were scheduled to set up at three outdoor locations, so this cosy Woolworths spot was an absolute blessing.

Bubsie’s Warm-Up and the Team’s Morale
When things warmed up just a bit during the morning, we decided to give Bubsie a crank. Success! She fired right up and showed off for the crowd. Meanwhile, Glenda took the opportunity to tackle some admin work from the comfort of the car in the carpark—multitasking at its finest!
At lunchtime, the team took turns refueling (ourselves, that is), and we had a wonderful surprise when several church members from Bowral dropped by to show their support. There’s something special about having your community rally behind you!

The Cold-Weather Chronicles
Things got pretty brisk out there, so various team members took turns warming up inside Bubsie between shifts. Noel, ever the practical one, decided this was the perfect moment to invest in a new pair of gloves. Smart move!

The After-School Rush
Once the school bells rang, families started pouring in. The energy was fantastic, and Bubsie was definitely the star of the show. But as the sun started to set, it was time to pack up and head home.

The Grand Exit 
Of course, nothing’s ever quite that simple! A car had parked right across the walkway opening, so we had to get creative. Out came the pushing power again—we guided Bubsie down the length of Woolworths, fired her up one more time, and drove her smoothly into the trailer.

The Numbers and the Warmth
It was a brilliant day with around 100 books given away—now that’s impact! After all that cold weather exposure, we were more than ready for those lovely hot showers back at base camp. Going from 41 degrees down to 7–11 degrees will definitely keep you on your toes!
All in all, it was a successful adventure with Bubsie, the cold, the community, and plenty of happy readers.