My guest on Belly this morning is Ruthie Einfeld. Previous Radio Course participant, a bright spark who lit up the class each week, made us laugh and stepped outside of her comfort zone to learn what it takes to present your own show.

One of the things I love most about community radio and something I share with the class each time is this incredible ability to transport you, our beautiful listener, to places and people via the delightful gift of your own imagination.

We share words, and each of you will hear those words differently, transform the words into images in your imagination and possess your own unique version of the story. It’s quite magical.

For example:  Imagine hundreds of colourful, wildly decorated classic cars setting off on a 10-day road trip through some of the most remote parts of Queensland.  Engines running, horns blaring, music playing and plenty of friendly rivalry, set amongst the tropical sting of the north Queensland sun. Get the picture?

That’s the Variety Bash. An annual fundraising adventure raising money for Variety, the Children’s Charity supporting kids in rural and remote communities, including equipment, grants, scholarships and programs.

The classic cars travel thousands of kilometres, visiting these remote communities and schools along the way, raising money and bringing a whole lot of excitement to the towns they pass through.

This year’s Queensland Bash began in Innisfail on August 17 and wound its way through the Queensland outback before finishing in Gladstone on August 27. Over ten days, the Variety Bash takes these classic cars on a journey of more than 2,000 kilometres.

Among the drivers was Ruthie Einfeld, behind the wheel of her 1966 Ford Falcon, affectionately known as Frankie.

Having recently returned Ruthie is on her way into the studios to join us and share some of her stories and adventures from the road with us today.