Most are reliant on volunteers, who provide labour for improvements and are a driving force behind fund-raising.

Coreen’s footy club is no exception. Lots of hard work on the part of members and supporters has been paramount in ensuring improvements such as the extension to umpires’ rooms now and a new kitchen a few years ago.

But vandals have left the club with a damage bill likely to reach more than $5000 after they trashed the kitchen, smashed mirrors in the bathrooms and glass doors opening to the pavilion.

The damage is no doubt devastating to all those associated with the club which will have to dip into its own funds to replace fittings and clean up the damage.

As the club’s vice-president says, it’s the last thing you want to be doing when members’ attention is on the grain harvest or the upcoming holiday season.

Given that Coreen is a small community where this kind of activity at a local football club might be noticed, hopefully someone will come forward with information that will identify those respons-ible and give the club the opportunity to hold them to account.