Yarra Junction District By Kath Gannaway
MORE than $500,000 worth of shares in the new Yarra Junction District Community Bank Branch (YJDCBB) will be offered to the community next week.
The public share offer is the culmination of a successful community bank campaign and issuing of a legal prospectus.
The prospectus will be launched at the Upper Yarra Secondary College on Tuesday 11 December.
YJDCBB Steering Committee chairman Jaqui Hall said the focus from next Tuesday would be on selling at least $500,000 worth of $1 shareholdings to local residents, traders and business people.
Ms Hall described the launch as an historic and memorable time for the community and is passionately urging Upper Yarra residents to be part of it.
“We all have the opportunity to invest in the future of this wonderful Upper Yarra Valley region and to provide a legacy for generations to come,” she said.
“If you have not yet pledged to buy shares, come along and hear why there is so much excitement about this venture.
“If you have pledged, come and rejoice in the journey we have taken together to get us to this pivotal point.
“It’s not very often that we get the chance to purchase shares in a community company with profits going directly back to benefit our community.”
Ms Hall said the organisation’s aim was to have more than 300 locally based shareholders sharing ownership in the company to ensure it was a truly community-spirited company and venture.
“My message to local residents is to take the time to attend the launch.
“Come and celebrate with us and don’t forget to bring your chequebook with you. We will also need your tax file number and ABN if you have one,” Ms Hall said.
“If our pledge campaign is anything to go by, I expect demand for our $1 shares to be strong and the offer is limited, so don’t miss out.”
She added the sooner the share offer is filled the sooner the doors to the main street bank branch would open.
All going well, she said, the Yarra Junction District Community Bank Branch would open on 25 February next year, auspiciously, the eight birthday of its sister branch, the Warburton Community Bank Branch.
The launch will be held in the theatrette at Upper Yarra Secondary Collage beginning at 6pm with nibbles and drinks with formalities starting at 7pm.
During the evening there will also be musical recitals by locally talented youth, incorporating the Ian De La Rue Youth Initiative Award recipients for 2007.
Ms Hall can be contacted on 5966 6258 for further information.
