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Community

23 October, 2024

Rock Pop Mime hanging by a thread, says Apex

Just a handful of volunteers put this year's school performance together.

By Troy Rowling

Three generations of the Davis family volunteered for Rock Pop Mime this year, with John, Robert and Kai all doing their bit.
Three generations of the Davis family volunteered for Rock Pop Mime this year, with John, Robert and Kai all doing their bit.

While thousands of Mount Isa residents attended the Apex Rock Pop Mime show, you can count on a single hand the number of volunteers that organised the event.

It leaves Apex with a troubling scenario – how to keep the club’s biggest annual event going for the schoolchildren of Mount Isa and Cloncurry when it currently has only five active members?

Making matters more complicated is that two of those volunteers are from the same family, one is a wife roped in due to lack of numbers and another is well-known Mount Isa identity Fred Frost, who now lives in Townsville and pays his own travel costs to help keep the event alive.

Mount Isa Apex president John Davis told North West Weekly the Rock Pop Mime was “hanging by a thread” as the lack of new membership at the service club places the event in long term jeopardy.

“Currently it is a recipe for disaster,” he said.

“If something happens and one of us drops out, then it would have a serious impact on our ability to organise the event.”

Mr Davis said Mount Isa and Mackay were the only cities in Queensland that still hold the annual school event.

He added that it was among the only opportunities for Mount Isa and Cloncurry students to get on stage and show their talents in front of a large audience.

“We try to make it a very affordable family night out,” he said.

“We hold it at Tony White Oval because it has that family atmosphere – they can bring their own chairs or a picnic blanket and watch the show together.”

Mr Davis said Rock Pop Mime operated on the “smell of an oily rag,” costing about $42,000 to run – which is a combination of about half cash donations and half “in-kind” assistance.

Donations include the use of Tony White Oval, which is provided by the Irish Club each year, to the lighting, which is given by the Isa Community Church.

Mr Davis said the biggest costs for the event were insurance and security – with more than $4000 donated to the schools to assist recoup their costs for costumes, travel and equipment – and at least $4000 paid to other community organisations for tasks ranging from catering to cleaning up.

Apex begins organising the event in March, where grants and cash donations are sought – this year there were eight funding requests sent out to major institutions in the region with Mount Isa City Council’s donation of $8000 the only successful application.

At the same time, schools are approached to determine which grades will put on a performance.

Mr Davis said Apex was previously limited to those between 18-45 in age, but that rule was abolished in recent years to allow anyone to join.

“We would really like to have 12 to 15 members in the club – that would be ideal,” he said.

“I have found people aged around 30 or more are usually at a stage in life where they are thinking about contributing to their community.

“Some parents might have enjoyed the (Rock Pop Mime) event this year and might be thinking about helping out – we would be very interested in talking to them.

“People who join the club become like family – it is a social outlet, and we try to have a bit of fun along the way.”

If you are interested in joining, email mountisa@apex.org.au

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