This week marks National Volunteer Week and seventeen local community groups on the Mornington Peninsula will benefit from a share in $9 million of federal funding to support local volunteers across Australia.
The grants awarded are between $1,000 and $5,000, and will enable organisations on the Mornington Peninsula to better support their volunteers to purchase small equipment, pay fuel, transport and training costs.
Federal Member for Flinders, the Hon. Greg Hunt MP, said this funding will go a long way in supporting organisations and their volunteers through what has been a tough year.
“Like all of Australia, the Mornington Peninsula has been significantly impacted by COVID-19 this year,” Mr Hunt said. “This funding will go a long way to support volunteers to continue their important work in the community.”
“Volunteers are an integral part of our society, especially during difficult times. Their contribution is vital to the fabric of our local community and their work has never been more relevant than now as we work to meet the challenges presented by the coronavirus locally and nationally.”
“I’m privileged to see firsthand the work volunteer organisations do in our community and these grants will help them continue to support our community.”
Willum Warrain’s Peter Aldenhoven said the grant would help them to assist their volunteers with their expenses.
“This grant will enable Willum Warrain to show our many volunteers that we value their contributions to our Gathering Place,” Mr Aldenhoven said. “Sometimes people just need to be thanked. Our Willum Warrain volunteers will really appreciate not being out of pocket and recognised in this way.”
The Lions Club of Rye President Gael Harvey said the funding would help fund the installation of heating and cooling systems at the Club’s shed at RJ Rowley Reserve.
“We have regular meetings and social functions at the Shed where we typically invite people and organisations that we have financially supported to come along and tell us their story,” Mrs Harvey said. “This is always a feel good moment for us to see our work in action and know that we are indeed making a difference in people’s lives and this funding will help us ensure visitors are comfortable.”
“We focus on our local community and we love nothing more than catching up regularly to see how they are going and how we can help.”
Rachel Bovenizer from Peninsula Home Hospice said the grant would be used “to reimburse Client Care Volunteers for their travel expenses when using their own vehicles to visit clients in their homes to provide respite or take a client to a medical appointment.”
“Our Client Care Volunteers travel in excess of 32,000 km per annum to help deliver care to our clients who look forward to the weekly visits,” Ms Bovenizer said. “A common comment from our visiting Client Care Volunteers is that they bring care, life and laughter into the lives of the clients they visit.”
Oz Assist’s Peter Crosby added: “This funding will help us to reimburse our volunteers for their work driving Peninsula residents to and from appointments in the city, as well as collecting food from across Melbourne to help locals doing it tough and delivering food parcels to their homes”
“We look forward to continuing to help the community through COVID-19 and beyond.”
National Volunteer Week runs from 18-24 May and is run by Volunteering Australia. You can get involved in the online activities by visiting the Volunteering Australia www.volunteeringaustralia.org/update-on-national-volunteer-week-2020/#/.
ENDS
Successful recipients of the 2019-20 Volunteer Grants for the electorate of Flinders
| Legal Entity Name | Funding |
| Baxter Fire Brigade | $5,000 |
| Boneo Tennis Club | $1,640 |
| Dolphin Research Institute | $3,000 |
| Dromana Bay Life Saving Club | $5,000 |
| GenU Karingal St Laurence | $4,750 |
| Mornington Peninsula Beachside Tourism Association | $4,200 |
| Oz Assist | $5,000 |
| Peninsula Home Hospice | $5,000 |
| Point Nepean Men’s Shed | $3,550 |
| Red Hill Football Club | $4,960 |
| Rye Yacht Club | $4,700 |
| Somers Combined Probus Club | $2,950 |
| Southern Peninsula Little Athletics | $3,750 |
| The Lions Club of Rye | $3,130 |
| Tyabb Cricket Club | $5,000 |
| Tyabb Fire Brigade | $2,500 |
| Willum Warrain Aboriginal Association | $1,470 |