Parmas to help farmers

Why did the chicken cross the road? To eat a parmigiana.

Yeah, ok, our jokes aren’t the best, but this online campaign to raise cash for drought-stricken Australian farmers over on the East Coast is top-notch.

Chicken parmigiana is every pub-goers favourite and now there is even more of a reason to enjoy the great Australian meal with pubs, cafes and restaurants across WA offering money to the Parma for a Farmer campaign for every one of the cheesy delights sampled in their proud institutions.

Amounts donated to the campaign from the sale of parmas vary from place-to-place, but the general rule is that $1 from each sold goes toward the cause.

This week, the Government announced a $190 million drought relief package, with eligible farmers able to get cash payments of up to $12,000, but the Parma for a Farmer campaign aims at trying to help out a little more.

Social media pages are going crazy with recommendations for eateries who offering the deal.

Esperance Travellers Inn chef Natalie Gilbert said they sold 36 parmigianas in two days after announcing the initiative.

“There is a booking for tomorrow night for 21 people just for parmigianas,” she said. “We are obviously from a farming town, so we know people who are being impacted.

“There are also donation tins on the bars which are going well.”

Ms Gilbert said they were planning on holding a special fundraiser in the coming weeks based around the popular food and farmers.

The Highway Hotel in Bunbury is another getting on board and will use their Wednesday parmigiana specials to get behind the cause.

Venue manager Gillian Colgan said the feedback they had received on social media since announcing their involvement had been fantastic.

“I have already warned the kitchen team,” she said.

“We do a lot of fundraising and want to do what we can to help.”

Imperial Hotel, based in Broomehill, fundraiser organiser Hailey Mitchell has taken a different route, with $2 from every one of the delicacies sold going to farmers.

“We had a fundraising gig on Saturday night and so far we have raised more than $300,” she said. “That is just from different donations and does include the meals we sold yet.”

Miss Mitchell said Broomehill was a small community which relied heavily on farmers. “In our community if something bad was to happen, the pub would go,” she said. “We just hate to see people struggling.”

Cafe Elixir in Wanneroo has backed the cause more than most, with owner Taylor Moore to match the amount raised dollar for dollar.

“The staff have taken away the tip jar and replaced it with a donation tin, so they are happy to go without their tips for a week or two,” he said.

Mr Moore, who hails from the East Coast, said it was an obvious cause to get behind.

“They are our food bowl,” he said. “If it was not for these men and women working the land, then we would not have such good produce so readily available.

“If they are struggling, then it leaves us all short.”

The Australian Hotels Association chief executive officer Bradley Woods said it was the latest example of licensed venues participating in worthwhile campaigns to lend a helping hand to fellow Australians.

"Each day we are seeing more venues get on board with this campaign to help support farmers on the Eastern seaboard who are facing some of the most trying weather conditions they have seen in decades," Mr Woods said.

"It is deeply heartening but not surprising to see so many venues participating in this worthy cause – WA’s pubs, bars, restaurants and taverns regularly undertake fundraising activities to help out those in need, so it is fantastic to see them yet again passing around the hat to help out their country cousins, despite being thousands of kilometers from affected areas."

Other places taking part include The Woodbridge Hotel in Guildford, The Vic in Subiaco, Drakesbrook Hotel Motel in and Ravenswood Hotel.