2026 Leaders Al Smith, Vice President (left) and Jen Parsons, President (right).
After two decades, Tony Fitzgerald has decided to hang up the gloves, allowing Jen Parsons to take the captain’s seat for 2026. Tony said, “It feels good to get the younger people into it, they’ve got different ideas and how to run things and all that sort of stuff, so I can’t wait for the next chapter of it.
“It’s been great raising money for Can Assist.We are doing our best and all the money we’ve raised for CanAssist has gone out there to help a lot of people around our district.
“I’m very proud of the committee that we’ve had and the amount of money that we’ve raised for everyone.
“I’d just like to wish the new members and the committee and the president all the best for the next few years and hopefully they’ll keep it running.”
Jen said she has her work cut out for her, but she is keen to take on the job.
“It’s a little bit daunting filling the shoes. He’s done such a great job with the committee, so hopefully I can do it just as much justice. I’m feeling honoured that the committee thinks that I’m right for the role, but I have good faith in the committee, as a whole,” she said.
“The way we all work together will ensure that we do great work again this year and going forward. “That’s good to hear that they have that faith and support for me as well. I’ve worked with Tony, obviously being on the committee for a while anyway, so to have his backing is really good. I’ve known both of them even personally for a while now too. It’ll be really good to continue building on those relationships.
“I’m good friends with Tony’s daughter and she got a few of us girls volunteering on the day. I did that just for a couple of years and then the committee approached us girls to join as well, so I thought, why not?
“Cancer touches everyone’s lives, including mine, and that’s probably a big driving factor because it’s supporting the local community when they’re in those circumstances.
“It’s close to my heart as it is with everyone who’s joining volunteering or just participating in the ride. I think with it being such a good cause, it really kind of motivates you to do the best you can.
“The main goal is obviously to keep it at a steady, consistent level, or, if not exceed what we’re doing already.
“Any money in the bank for Can Assist is great, but if we continue to have that really good year like we did last year and to build on that, and make it even bigger if we can get more riders there and just have another good day with raising as much money as we can.
“I feel like if we continue to just push for the success of the event, then hopefully we can continue to keep giving good donations through to Can Assist.
“We are just pushing for the event as a whole and trying to get as much community involvement as we can. We would also really like to encourage sponsors they want to join and put money towards it is always how we can buff up that kind of donation as well. The sponsorship money helps us put the event on, but it also helps us be able to give as much money back to Can Assist as we can.”
Can Assist Junee said they are beyond grateful for the support every year, with President Fiona Rynehart saying it was instrumental to Can Assists success.
“He’s an amazing operator, but I am sure he’ll be in the background still telling them what needs to be done and how things need to be done. It’s so good that they’ve got the newer people on the committee to take things on. It’ll be great,” she said.
“We’ve been very lucky, we’ve worked with Jen Parsons, the new president, before. She’s always been a committee member of the Poker Run. I think it’ll be great, we’ll be able to help each other and see how we go with it all.
“I think they’ll bring some new different ideas to the Poker Run for next year too.
“I’m just thinking if they raised $42,000 for us this year, what’s going to happen next year?
“It’s just amazing, and they are such a good group of people to work with too. They are very friendly and very easy to get on with.
“On another note, we’ve got our ladies’ long lunch at the end of this month on the 27th. There are some amazing speakers and some amazing prizes. It’s going to be fun.
“We hold the event every second year.
“Calabria Wines at Griffith will be donating some wine for us. They’re very big in helping people with cancer. They are a very family-orientated business and they said they would love to help out people who are raising money for cancer for Can Assist.
“I can’t wait to work with the new committee and see how things go and I think we’ll have another star performance next year.
“I just hope it’s not 40-odd-degree heat.”
Things are revving up for the 21st Junee Poker Run.
-Jack Murray
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