By Jed Lanyon
The donations are rolling at Healesville Community Bank as a marble in a jar competition saw four lucky local organisations benefit from funding.
For the past six months, new and existing customers who take advantage of the bank’s services have been given a certain amount of marbles to place into four jars, each labelled with the name of a community organisation – HICCI, Badger Creek Primary School, Healesville Cricket Club and Healesville Tennis Club.
Healesville Community Bank branch manager Keeley Mahoney explained the process.
“Every time a customer comes into the branch to open a new account, credit card or home loan they are allocated so many marbles and they get to choose which jar they’d like to pop their marbles into,” she said.
“All four jars win a prize. The top prize is $2000, then $1000, $500 and $250, so everybody wins. The customers have thoroughly enjoyed it. They get their marbles and they stand there and decide where they are going to put them.
“Kids have enjoyed standing there with four marbles and deciding whether they’re going to put all the marbles in one jar or to give some here and there… Other people have been a part of the cricket and tennis clubs and have wanted to support them. It’s lots of fun.”
Support organisation, HICCI, was the beneficiary of the major prize.
“It was very close between HICCI and the Badger Creek Primary School and then between the tennis and the cricket club it was very close also,” Ms Mahoney said.
“HICCI supports people who aren’t in such a good position perhaps as other people, they might need support with food, clothing, blankets and advice on where to get help. Alison is a great community leader here in healesville, so we’re more than happy to support her.”
HICCI executive officer Alison Gommers said it was “overwhelming” to see the support of Healesville locals and the community bank.
“It says a lot for HICCI really, that people have chosen us over the other groups. I was surprised actually, I thought the sporting clubs and the schools would have been more popular, but it’s really nice that the community has thought of us and we appreciate the bank’s ongoing support and partnership to help us help people in our community.
“We’re lucky in where we live and that we have people who are so willing to help and think of others when they are doing it tough themselves.”
For the next six months, there will feature four new organisations vying for the funds – Healesville Pony Club, Healesville Swimming Club, Healesville Primary School and the Robyn Jane Children’s Centre.
