A popular South Indian restaurant in Warburton will raise funds for the Upper Yarra SES unit on June 12.
Babaji’s Kerala Kitchen’s Yarra Valley restaurant’s Community Day event is set to donate 10 per cent of all its earnings to ensure our SES volunteers have the funds it needs to protect the community.
The restaurant’s co-owner Billy Crombie said the event enabled her to give back to the community by doing what she does best – cooking.
“Don’t give us a chainsaw, because we can’t use chainsaws, we’ve got no idea. But we can cook, so that’s how we can help our community,” Ms Crombie said.
Upper Yarra SES operational volunteer Leah Farvis expressed interest in collaborating with Babaji’s after she saw a Facebook post about the day.
The extra funds for the SES will help cover operational costs while chipping away at paying off a new vehicle kitted out for the opening of the Warburton Mountain Bike Destination project, which will see an increase in rescues.
“We’ve just got a new vehicle for the mountain bike rescues that we’re expecting, that was set up specifically for that, so that needs to be fitted out with some equipment as well,” Ms Farvis said.
“But also coming into the storm and flood season, there’s always things that need to be replenished.”
Every month from February to November, Babaji’s holds a Community Day to raise money for community groups in the area.
So far this year, Babaji’s has donated over $1500 to small community groups, which include Upper Yarra Garden Club, Gladysdale Primary School, Body of Wellbeing and Wesburn and District Dog Obedience Club.
“We also try to work with groups where it’s a little bit harder for them to get funding,” Ms Crombie said.
She pointed to organisations like the Warby Weapons Basketball Club, a sporting club which aims to recruit players of all abilities, and Body of Wellbeing, a not-for-profit that promotes body positivity and challenges weight loss stigma.
“Politicians support some of our biggest sports clubs in many ways, and then some of the smaller groups, it is much harder for them to get pockets of funding. That’s where we try and help.”
She said the focus of the Community Day, aside from raising funds, was to spread South Indian cuisine to the Yarra Ranges.
“So it is about bringing two cultures together. It’s about bringing Indian culture together with our local community.”
