New vehicle for the Wednesday Warriors benefits the whole community

THE FRIENDS of the Lyrebird Forest Walk have gratefully received a new vehicle through a range of community donations so they can continue their tireless efforts maintaining local trails.
The volunteer group of about 25 retirees are otherwise known as the Wednesday Warriors, who regularly get together in Mirboo North to ensure the Grand Ridge Rail Trail and the Lyrebird Forest Walk are well maintained for the hundreds of walkers, riders, joggers and horse riders that travel on the trails each week. 
The group spends time chain sawing and clearing fallen trees and collecting the logs which is then brought back to their shed and cut into useable firewood. 
The firewood then gets donated for raffles, sold or given to community members in need, as they are a non-profit. 
 We look after people in need,  said President Jim O Brien,
The Wednesday Warriors were instrumental in the clean-up efforts following the storm and managed to get the trails open and safe within a matter of weeks, so communities could once again enjoy the towns natural assets. 
Despite their name, the members often work more than one day a week, as there is also maintenance of vehicles and equipment to be taken care of, clearing overgrown vegetation and clearing out the heritage listed culverts, built in the 1800s.
With over 15 kilometres of trails to be maintained, the group cover a large area and have been getting around in an aging, two seater vehicle that needed replacing. 
They approached the Mirboo North and District Community Bank seeking funding to help purchase a replacement vehicle, and the Bank were pleased to be able to support the volunteers in part with their purchase with a grant of $7500. 
 We re very reliant on donations, grants and funding to keep us going,  explained Jim.  
 With the generous support of the Bendigo Bank we were able to get a new vehicle, because with the amount of members, and we look after 15 kilometres of rail trail, so we need to get around. 
After also having received a $5000 donation from the Mirboo North and District Community Foundation, $1000 from the South Gippsland Shire Council and $7500 from the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal, they were able to purchase a second hand, five seater vehicle. 
 It means they can move around and transport a couple more blokes at a time, which makes it a lot easier and obviously a lot more comfortable and safer, because it's a newer vehicle,  said Mirboo North and District Community Bank Board Support Officer, Viv Williams. 
An upcoming project the group are undertaking together with a few of the local school students and teachers will be creating a memorial garden at the beginning of the trail for one of their founding members who recently passed away.
The new vehicle will help the group to keep carrying out their maintenance work and great projects like this one, for the benefit of the community. 
The grant offered by the Mirboo North and District Community Bank also helped the bank to reach the milestone of $2 million given in local donations, which they will be celebrating with a new $2 million Club, kicking off at the upcoming Mirboo North Winterfest.