Goomeri Pumpkin Festival received funds to build extra stands … from left, Lorraine Wyvill and Noel Trace (Bendigo), Geof Stumm (Goomeri Pumpkin Festival) and Sasha Ross (Bendigo)
July 24, 2015
Community groups from Goomeri to Goombungee received more than $34,000 in grants and sponsorship from the Bendigo Bank on Wednesday night to fund local community projects.
South Burnett Community Enterprises Limited, the company that operates the Yarraman, Nanango and Blackbutt Bendigo Bank branches, presented cheques to eight groups at the 5th Annual Grants Evening held at Yarraman Memorial Hall.
The first community grants were distributed by the bank 10 years ago.
Yarraman branch manager Anne Woodrow said $4000 in grants were distributed that first year; the total so far in 2015 is $84,950 (up to March 31). This includes grants, sponsorships and donations.
The total distributed from the three branches over the past 10 years totals $664,000.
Across Australia, Bendigo Bank has distributed $130 million to community groups.
Groups in the South Burnett and surrounding communities that were helped this year:
Bloomin’ Beautiful Blackbutt Festival – $2500 for the 2015 Entertainment Program
CareFlight – $1589.50 for Cardiac Medical Kit
Cooyar Community Playgroup – $4500
Goombungee P&C – $3000 for wind-up changeable sign
Goomeri Show Society – $5316 for shade and roofing off new pavilion
Goomeri Pumpkin Festival – $5877 for two new grandstands
Maclagan-Windermere Kindergarten – $3300 for signage and shelving
Queensland Variety Club Bash car entrant 366 – $2200 raising funds for Variety Queensland
Local student Katelyn Wolski also received $5000 to continue her studies at the Queensland University of Technology and the Blackbutt Pony Express riding group received $2000 sponsorship to buy club shirts, banners and two-way radio equipment.
Cooyar Community Playgroup … Lorraine Wyvill, Noel Strohfeld and Cheryl Nix (Bendigo) with Jacinta Ryan, Cooyar State School principal Kendall Seccombe and Christine Duncombe (Cooyar P&C)Bloomin’ Beautiful Blackbutt … Anne Woodrow and Noel Trace (Bendigo), Jeanette Berry and John Atkins (Bloomin’ Beautiful) and Cheryl Nix (Bendigo)Goombungee P&C … Lorraine Wyvill (Bendigo), Goombungee State School principal Skye Gabler, Lionel Kerr (Bendigo), Cecily McLeod (Goombungee SS) and Nerrida Roberts (Bendigo)Goomeri Show Society … Noel Strohfeld and Anne Woodrow (Bendigo) with Tricia McArthur (Goomeri Show Society) and Joanne Collett (Bendigo) Maclagan-Windermere Kindergarten … Lorraine Wyvill, Lionel Kerr and June Dugdell (Bendigo) with Lisa Strohfeld, Christine Duncombe and Leisa Zeller (Maclagan-Windermere Kindy)Queensland Variety Bash Car 366 (Yarraman) … Lorraine Wyvill and Jeff Connor (Bendigo), Lyndon Viney and Dee Harwood (Car 366) and Dan Mead (Bendigo)Blackbutt Pony Express … their grant applicationwas unsuccessful but Bendigo offered them sponsorship instead; Lorraine Wyvill and Carley Heit (Bendigo), Tony Nash (Blackbutt Pony Express) and Noel Strohfeld (Bendigo)The happy grant and sponsorship recipients with invited guests which included Cr Damien Tessmann (South Burnett Regional Council), CrNancy Sommerfield (Toowoomba Regional Council), Bendigo Bank State Manager Noel Jessup and Regional Manager Rob Chittick
