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More than 200 heads swiveled towards a black curtain, which cloaked the source of a running motor.
“I think Santa’s coming,” one of the children in the school hall said.
East Loddon P-12 College was assembled for what had traditionally been an occasion for student presentations.
But Friday’s event, in the school gym, was a little different.
The students weren’t the only ones in the limelight.
P.E. teacher John Clyne was retiring, after more than 20 years at the school.
His vision for the school’s 35-year-old gym had finally become a reality.
And a much-loved member of the school’s staff was due for a surprise.
Dazzling headlights and a sign bearing the letter ‘N’ were the first indications of what was to come from behind the curtain.
Making an entrance to Mariah Carey’s rendition of All I want for Christmas is you, school principal Steve Leed drove in on a new John Deere ride-on mower.
“In the country everyone loves tractors,” a recording of the event states.
“But NO ONE loves John Deere tractors more than Nathan.”
The mower was dedicated to Nathan Hocking and Henry Lacey, in recognition of their work maintaining the school throughout the year.
Assistant principal Scott Wilkinson said the school had been in need of a new ride-on mower.
But the presentation honoured Nathan in particular, who completed his schooling at East Loddon P-12 College and went on to join the staff after graduating.
He said the 22-year-old was known for his three great passions: Santa, the Western Bulldogs Football Club, and John Deere tractors.
“He’s just a really nice kid,” Mr Wilkinson said.
“He’s a smiling face around the place… all our kids enjoy having him around.”
People were crying as the mower entered the gym, Mr Wilkinson said.
“It was quite emotional,” he said.
“The kids will love it. They’ll see it around the yard and it will be Nathan’s tractor.”
The official opening of the gym and the farewell to Mr Clyne were also highlights of the assembly.
Mr Wilkinson said former students, some of whom had gone on to pursue athletic careers, had returned to Dingee to wish the school stalwart well in his retirement.
The P.E. teacher long suspected the gym would be fixed up just before he left, Mr Wilkinson said.
“He has taught in a tin shed for 20 years plus,” he said.
“Now it’s all fixed up, he’s leaving.”
The school received a $60,000 grant from the state government to improve the gymnasium, supplemented by $13,610 raised as a result of the Big Give.
The It’s DingEE, not Dingy campaign was one of the most successful of the more than 70 campaigns competing for glory during the online community crowdfunding initiative.
Mr Wilkinson believed much of that popularity was owed to Mr Clyne, who featured on the campaign page.
The school originally aimed to raise $3000 to install blackout blinds over the windows to make the gym a more suitable venue for events.
Since the Big Give ended on September 1, the gym’s walls have been insulated and lined.
“It was literally a tin shed and you could feel from the tin how hot it was outside,” Mr Wilkinson said.
“Now that’s all insulated, which helps not just with the heat but the sound and how that all travels in the gym as well.
“We’ve still got as bit of money left over which we’ll use to build a shed out the back of the gym to store equipment.”
Families involved in the school helped prepare the gym for the upgrades.
The school is at the crossroads of a number of agricultural communities, which have endured tough years on the land and bravely worked on.
“Small communities can do a whole lot,” Mr Wilkinson said.
“Even though we’re not a large school, we’ve got a community that’s got the power to do a lot of big things.
“When people become really attached to their schools, like our community is, I think you can demonstrate to others what you really can do.”
About 240 students attended East Loddon P-12 College this year.
“People tend to take a lot more pride in their school when they are contributing,” Mr Wilkinson said.
“You can feel it around the place – parents are happy, kids are happy.”
He thanked the community for its support throughout the year.