By Michael Doran
A group of 25 Yarra Valley wineries, in conjunction with Woori Yallock Community Bank, has donated over $100,000 to local service groups since 2009.
This year $10,000 has been split between five Yarra Valley CFA brigades with the cheque presentation at Tokar Estate on 4 October.
At the handover, Daniel Tokar, President of the Smaller Wineries Association, said the money had been raised from the Yarra Valley Shortest Lunch and the Shedfest Wine Festival.
“Running these events allows our association to make the donations we do and is our way of giving back to the community we live and work in,” Daniel Tokar said.
“It also helps to bring more visitors to the Yarra Valley and with 25 smaller wineries in our group that gives people a personal insight into how wines are made.”
“This time we picked five local CFA stations, Badgers Creek, Coldstream, Dixons Creek, Healesville and Yarra Glen, and they will receive $2,000 each to spend as they see fit,” Mr. Tokar said.
Liz Fletcher from the Badgers Creek brigade said fundraising is never an easy task and donations like these help to purchase more and updated equipment.
“For Badgers Creek we have very limited fundraising avenues, particularly given our location, so this is a big boost to our brigade,” said Liz Fletcher.
“We are very grateful for the fundraising that the wineries and Bendigo Bank do for the local CFA and our community.”
“This donation is part of our overall commitment to the community,” said Peter Cownley, Chairman of the Woori Yallock Community Bank.
“Our bank has been going for more than 15 years and we feel very strongly about supporting local businesses so they can grow. That allows us to also support community groups, like these five CFA brigades.”
The Shedfest Wine Festival, now in its17th year, is on from 13 to14 October across the Yarra Valley. All the details are at www.yarravalleysmallerwineries.com.au
