Twenty organisations contributing to South Gippsland shared in $117,000 of Community Grants announced at the council chambers in Leongatha on Wednesday evening.
“They’re one of the most direct ways that we support projects in our community,” Council CEO Kerryn Ellis said of the grants, noting “Volunteers and community groups are the lifeblood of South Gippsland.”
She highlighted the fact the total value of the projects supported is over $442,000.
The grant recipients were selected from 38 applications, with the Community Grants divided into four categories.
‘Strengthening Community Sport’ attracted the most funding with $45,000, followed by ‘Building Community Capacity’ which received $28,700, with $26,000 towards ‘Creating Community Culture’ and $17,300 to ‘Developing Community Assets’.
Cr John Schelling was delighted to present Rachel Brown of Friends of Toora & District Swimming Pool with $6,000 towards large shade umbrellas, sharing a story related to the pool from his childhood.
“My father was vice president of the Toora Pool Committee when the pool was built in the sixties and I remember being paraded with two of my siblings up and down the street in a bathtub,” he recalled of a fundraising drive initiative to help build the pool.
2023/24 Round One Community Grant recipients by category were:
Developing Community Assets –
Woorayl Golf Club – $5,000 funding is assisting the club to make its paths maintenance free through the purchase and installation of Diamond Grid mesh ($10,000 total project cost)
Bena Public Hall - $5,300 towards resurfacing of the hall’s floor ($10,653 total project cost)
Poowong North Association Incorporated - $2,500 to assist with restoring the toilet facilities at the Poowong North Hall ($13,200 total project cost)
Loch-Poowong Uniting Church Parish - $4,500 towards heating and cooling of the PlayGroup room and Mya Mya Community Café through the purchase of two split systems ($9,060 total project cost)
Building Community Capacity -
Foster War Memorial Arts Centre - $6,600 to assist in the development of a strategic plan ($8,899 total project cost)
South Eastern Target Archers – $5,000 to assist in developing a strategic plan ($7,234 total project cost)
Friends of Toora & District Swimming Pool - $6,000 towards large shade umbrellas ($16,094 total project cost)
Venus Bay, Tarwin Lower & District Men’s Shed - $2,000 to assist in updating computer and printing equipment ($13,030 total project cost)
Leongatha Knights Football Club - $5,100 to assist the club to embark on a strategic planning program aimed at increasing soccer participation and future growth ($7,320 total project cost)
Welshpool & District Advisory Group - $4,000 towards the creation of a community garden at the rear of the Welshpool Op Shop ($13,848 total project cost)
Strengthening Community Sport –
Port Welshpool & District Bowling Club - $10,000 to assist in an irrigation system upgrade ($33,090 total cost)
Nyora Football Netball Club - $10,000 towards new male and female umpire change rooms ($35,200 total cost)
South Gippsland Gliding Club - $10,000 to help purchase an aircraft to launch gliders ($95,000 total cost)
Korumburra Gun Club - $10,000 toward new trap houses ($20,139 total project cost)
Mirboo North United Football Club - $5,000 to help purchase mobile goals ($11,080 total cost)
Creating Community Culture -
The Friends of the Mirboo North Swimming Pool - $3,000 towards summer festivals and events for the 2023/24 pool season ($10,150 total cost)
(it’s no) drama LTD - $5,000 to assist in the creation of a new performance work for disabled artists and regional arts workers ($11,000 total cost)
Mirboo Country Development Incorporated - $5,000 to assist with Christmas in the Boo ($38,000 total cost)
Poowong Community Consultative Committee - $7,000 towards festivals and events celebrating Poowong’s 150th Anniversary in April 2024 ($21,850 total cost)
Meeniyan Progress Association - $6,000 to assist in creating town murals ($57,000 total project cost)
