It’s school holidays again and for the kids in Nyngan this means Storm Co.  

The much-awaited visit which takes place in April and July School Holidays each year has been a regular event for the past 17 years, becoming an important part of the lives of young people in the Nyngan area and beyond. 

Storm Co. is a youth initiative of the South Pacific division of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.  

Their mission is to send teams of trained young people to work for, learn from, and encourage individual communities and, since opting to visit Nyngan in 2005, a special relationship has been brewing. 

Nyngan Storm Co. Coordinator Roshelle Fraser says, “We approached the Nyngan Community many years ago and asked them what they wanted - they replied, ‘Something for the kids’."  

"So we devised a program and brought it out here, and it has been so successful on so many levels that this year sees us visiting for the seventeeth time,” said Ms. Fraser. 

Fully funded by the Kellyville Seventh Day Adventist Church, Storm Co. brings 21 young people aged 16 – 22 years out to the Bogan Shire from multicultural North-West Sydney for a four-day program. 

Each day is split into two two-hour sessions, with the mornings involving primary aged students followed by High School aged students in the afternoons.  

Skip the Clown with Ruby, Timmy, Sarsha and Ivy.

The city students create and run the events for the local kids, which includes games, arts and crafts, singing, dancing, face painting, barefoot bowls and adventures which can take the local kids all over town on scavenger hunts and mystery photo shoots.  

A PDHPE teacher, Ms. Fraser is blown away by the success of the program and despite having just finished a hectic term of teaching herself – she jumped at the chance to get out of the city to once again share good times with the country kids.  

“We really want to show our kids that there is life past the Blue Mountains,” she said. “Teenagers have a habit of looking inwards and we want them to learn to look outwards in terms of helping others and being community minded. By participating in this event, they are learning the joy of giving to others. This is so important.” 

“Storm Co. teams maintain a relationship with the community. Their goal is to return and be an ongoing positive influence in the community. Their success in this is plain to see." 

Bogan Shire Mayor Glen Neill says the whole community is grateful for the annual visit by Storm Co. and the relationships that have developed. 

“It is such a tremendous initiative and the kids of Nyngan really look forward to their visit,” he said.  

“To keep coming back year after year is a massive effort. Our town is most appreciative,” said Mayor Neill. 

Sydney-based couple Bruce and Robyn Evans have been involved with the initiative for 14 years and the pair say they "have simply loved it." 

“For a lot of us, we had never heard of Nyngan before,” said Bruce. “It was a new frontier for us, but over all these years the townspeople have opened up to us." 

"We have people here today who are second generation Storm Co. kids – kids who have grown up attending Storm Co. and are now bringing their own kids along. Not only that but it is an eye opener for the city kids," he said. 

“We have made so many friends over the time from throughout the local community, from the previous Mayor Ray Donald and his wife Di to the members of the other churches and people like Henry Parry who takes us out to his farm and shows the kids his cotton crop and teaches them about farming." 

"We are accepted here for who we are, and we have been welcomed with open arms,” he said.  

“Nyngan is on the map for so many of us now, it is a special place, and we love coming out here." 

Olivia, Delilah and Iylah.

The sounds of fun and laughter echoed out of the Town Hall as the kids took part in the activities.  

“We have lots of fun with our friends and family,” says Ruby Walsh (6). “I love having my face painted and the arts and crafts,” she said. “I love listening to story time and the clowns make me laugh.” 

Not only is Storm Co a hit with the kids, the parents and carers absolutely love it too. “Storm Co. is fantastic”, said mother of three Dee.  

“With the price of fuel etcetera, getting away for the school holidays is just out of the question for some families, so having activities like Storm Co. makes life easier and takes the stress off parents." 

Storm Co heroes Bruce Evans and Rochelle Fraser.

From the organiser's perspective, the project is a valuable exercise that benefits everyone. 

“We see our kids grow over the four days,” says Ms. Fraser. “We see them interacting with the country kids and forming bonds, it is so rewarding, and we look forward to it." 

“We love the Nyngan Community, and they love us. It is certainly a worthwhile partnership and we thank everyone for welcoming us into their lives.”