Self help funds

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
UPPER Yarra Community Enterprise has given almost $50,000 back to the local community over the last six months.
The community-owned company has given money to help projects in schools, sport clubs, environmental, art, health and veteran projects.
The total cost of the generous grants and donations came to $46,474, an amount UYCE chairman Rodney Woods thinks is money well-spent.
“Of course it is, any money going back into the community is a good thing,” he said.
“We can’t give this money out without the support of the local community, so that we can help keep supporting the local community.”
Mr Woods said there were many programs which wouldn’t happen without the funding, and he encouraged residents to support the Warburton and Yarra Junction Community Banks as a means of supporting the community.
Yarra Junction’s Football and Netball Club were given $4000 to upgrade their canteen, Warburton RSL has helped the Residents’ Committee at AdventCare Yarra Valley help maintain the property with $2705 for a heavy duty mulcher, while a new community vegetable garden to the value of $4840 was funded for Shiralee House in Yarra Junction.
Other grant recipients included $2000 for a community art project at Songs from the Valley, $2000 to the Upper Yarra Youth Theatre Group for end of year productions, $5729 for Gladysdale Primary School for a play area, $9000 for St Joseph’s for sports and performing arts equipment, $10,000 to the Yarra Ranges Enterprise Centres to replace deteriorated decking and $6200 to the 1st Warburton Scout Group to secure on-site storage area.