By Callum Ludwig
16 Community Projects across the Upper Yarra will receive a financial helping hand from the Upper Yarra Community Enterprise, with $58,177 in total distributed to community groups and organisations at a presentation night at the Warburton Golf Club on Wednesday 26 June.
Tina Eason and the Upper Yarra Riding Club received $810 towards their Official Horse Riding Clubs Association Victoria Show, and Ms Eason said they will be putting the funding towards the cost of purchasing ribbons for the event.
“We hope to achieve to run a horse show that will attract competitors and spectators from all over Victoria, this grant will cover most of the cost of running the show so any profits will go into maintaining Wesburn Park equestrian facility,” she said.
Cire Services received a $5000 grant to support the annual Yarra Junction Halloween Street Party and Community Education Manager Jenelle Strachan said it will help ensure the continuation of this free event.
“This Halloween Street Party is designed as an inclusive, safe space where everyone can come together to enjoy themselves and foster a sense of community, it provides children with a secure environment for trick-or-treating while offering local businesses and service providers a platform to showcase their offerings,” she said.
“With the grant’s assistance, we will partially fund free showbags for every registered child and implement safety measures to alert drivers to the community event.”
The Little Apples Playgroup held at Gladysdale Primary School received $4000 and Kelly Frost said in a world where we are becoming increasingly detached from one another, Little Apples playgroup engages people through their children.
“At playgroup you get to meet other people going through similar experiences, ease the isolation that can come with caring for young children and find out about local community, health and support services, it allows families to enjoy this precious time with their kids while they develop and grow,” she said.
The Warburton CFA has received $5000 and Captain Ron McIntosh said it will go towards two new chainsaws, plus all accessories required to operate safely, and also a diesel generator for the East Warburton station as the old one is on its last legs.
“This project will enable us to partake in the event of storm damage to help the SES when called upon without using a prime firefighting truck as it will be housed on our Salvage vehicle along with other items,” he said.
The Warburton Junior Netball Club is getting $1950 which Chris Lord said they will be putting towards First Aid and defibrillator training.
“We have up to 10 teams that compete in the UYNA (Upper Yarra Netball Association) and our goal is to have someone appointed to each team that is First Aid and defib trained to handle game day and training days,” he said.
Reefton CFA Captain Sue Jack said their $4982 grant was for audio-visual equipment so they can continue utilising online CFA training and other resources and retain volunteers by keeping them engaged during the winter months.
“It’s part of a long-term plan to contribute to increasing community resilience in disasters by being able to provide multiple forms of assistance such as charging phones and other devices, providing a shower, provision of a full kitchen, the means to entertain children through the audio visual set up and a source of information,” she said.
Environment and Sustainability and RAP Coordinator at Little Yarra Steiner School Claudia Howell said they are very pleased to be able to put their $2000 grant towards establishing a bush tucker garden and supporting some Australian native food cooking workshops with the Class 8 students.
“We will also be able to further improve the signage around the large school site to acknowledge the beautiful Wurundjeri Country we are on and the ancient and enduring culture and language of the Wurundjeri community,” she said.
The Warburton Advancement League received two grants, $2000 for the annual Christmas Carols and $1330 for the ‘Dignity’ program launched at the Redwood Centre which Vice President David Pratt said is a drop-in facility to support individuals and families experiencing homelessness and which they will now be able to purchase a 10kg commercial grade washer and dryer for.
“The current domestic washers and dryers cannot handle bulky items like bedding and sleeping bags, and their slow processing times limit the number of people we can assist,” he said.
$9555 has gone to Body of Wellbeing which will help partially deliver a program at Upper Yarra Secondary College for Year 9 girls during Term 3 and 4 of this year.
“My Body’s Story – Empowering Futures will help promote positive body image and ongoing healthy behaviors and self-care practices, to prevent body image distress, and the prevention and early intervention of eating disorders,” she said.
$1100 has gone to not-for-profit organisation Tender Funerals Greater Eastern Melbourne to host an exhibition and events program at the Warburton Waterwheel Gallery in October in partnership with Little Yarra Steiner School year 12 student and artist Amber Hamer.
“Amber’s multi-media artworks ‘Exploring Death through Art’ will be presented alongside a program of community education and engagement events aimed to foster conversations about death, dying and funerals,” Community Activator Melinda Whyman said.
$1000 has been handed to the Yarra Junction Junior Netball Club which President Natalie McKeon said will provide access to education for their volunteer coaches free of charge, relieving the burden of the expense from families or the volunteers themselves.
“It means that all of our coaches are supported in learning the basics of the game and of coaching a team, we’re not just relying on those who already know how to do it, broadening the base of who might put their hand up for the role,” she said.
The Yarra Ranges Enterprise Centre (YREC) received $4350 to run a ‘Simplified Marketing Fundamentals for Small Business’ program as Executive Officer Alison Fitzgerald said surveys undertaken with YREC tenants and businesses within the community identified the need for digital marketing including social media support.
“This project brings expertise to the business community by offering practical hands-on workshops and one on one mentoring for business owners to understand the basics of marketing and give them the practical tools to use every day in their workplace,” she said.
Forever Friends Animal Rescue also received $8000 for their Special Needs project to improve accessibility, the River Folk Festival received $3500 towards the 2024 edition and the Warburton Bowls Club received $3600 towards signage and security upgrades.
