Mirboo North & District Community Foundation Supports 14 New Local Projects
This year the Mirboo North & District Community Foundation’s Community Grants Program has awarded grants totaling more than $50,000 to 14 local community organisations.
Chair of the Mirboo North & District Community Foundation, Kate Buxton, said the number and strength of the applications this year was exceptional. “We received applications for in excess of $150,000. We were absolutely delighted to have had such interest in the Foundation’s grants program. It is testament to the need for an organisation like ours, but it’s also a reflection of the amount of work being done by all manner of organisations across our community.”
The 14 successful projects are a wide and varied cross section of the community, including projects in Boolarra, Mirboo, Thorpdale and Yinnar. They are:
- Thorpdale Potato Festival
- Mirboo North Swimming Pool
- Mirboo Recreation Reserve
- Boolarra Folk Festival
- Friends of Mirboo North Library
- Mirboo North Italian Australian Seniors Group
- South Gippsland Youth Care Network
- Mirboo North Kindergarten
- Yinnar South Primary School and Yinnar, Yinnar South Landcare
- St Mary’s Anglican Church, Mirboo North
- Boolarra Football/Netball Club
- Mirboo North Senior Citizens Centre
- Boolarra Playgroup
- St Andrews Child Care Centre, Mirboo North
This is the fifth year that the Foundation has awarded community grants. This year’s successful applicants were announced at an awards ceremony at Mirboo North’s Walter J. Tuck Recreation Reserve on 28 November 2014.
Thorpdale Potato Festival
The grant will support the continuation of this festival, a celebration of this small township and which helps to build community connectedness, health and wellbeing. Funds raised from the festival help maintain and upgrade local facilities.
Mirboo North Swimming Pool
Celebrating ten years of Mirboo North Idol, a community event which takes place in the idyllic surrounds of the Mirboo North Swimming Pool, lifts the spirit of the community and brings together young and old alike.
Mirboo Recreation Reserve
Reducing the carbon footprint and power bills of this important community asset by converting to solar power. In addition to reducing the Reserve’s impact on the environment, funds saved will be used to improve the sustainability of the reserve and support other projects.
Boolarra Folk Festival
The grant will support workshops for Boolarra Primary School students to develop a range of life skills whilst having fun learning bass percussive rhythm. The project will culminate with the children performing as part of the opening act at the Boolarra Folk Festival.
Friends of Mirboo North Library
The grant will support the Friends to extend the usage of the library by providing a comfortable space where individuals and families can come together to enjoy the library’s many services.
Mirboo North Italian Australian Seniors Group
Upgrade, improve safety and encourage further use of the facility utilised by this long standing and active community group. Funds will support the installation of a work bench and hot water urn.
South Gippsland Youth Care Network
The grant will support Bass Coast Health Family Resource Centre to support the needs of early school leavers through an information sharing, referral and planning process that ensures supports are activated early, monitored and coordinated and will help to prevent young people slipping through the gaps or being lost to service.
Mirboo North Kindergarten
The grant will be used to assist the kindergarten to provide a play area that is engaging and safe place to develop children’s growing minds.
Yinnar South Primary School & Yinnar, Yinnar South Landcare
Supporting the Yinnar South Primary School and Yinnar, Yinnar South Landcare to obtain the necessary infrastructure and equipment to propagate, raise and plant seedlings. This will improve awareness and appreciation of planting and re-vegetation, community unity, understanding of the natural environment and increased ‘greening of the community’.
St Mary’s Anglican Church Mirboo North
The grant will allow the installation of vertical blinds to enable the group to continue to show movies for teens in the community, providing both entertainment and a much needed place for teens to go.
Boolarra Football/Netball Club
Installation of reverse cycle air conditioning will provide a more practical and environmentally friendly heating and cooling solution, encouraging greater community use for special events and provide a suitable place for community members and a wide range of user groups to engage with each other.
Mirboo North Senior Citizens Centre
Upgrading the audio sound system and improving the functionality of the Mirboo North Senior Citizens centre which provides a range of events and services and lessens the isolation experienced by many of the community’s senior citizens.
Boolarra Playgroup
Supporting the building of a shade structure and playground redevelopment at the Boolarra multi-purpose building, making the new play equipment accessible, encouraging increased participation in the playgroup, a local service which reduces isolation, improves social interaction and is a valuable resource for families and their young children.
St Andrews Child Care Centre Mirboo North
The grant will support replacing the parquetry floor, ensuring a safe environment for the staff, children and families who use this vital community service.