A HOST of hills families will get a little extra Christmas cheer this month, thanks to the latest round of community grants from Emerald and District Rotary.
Each year, some of those families less fortunate receive Christmas hampers from hills churches St Luke’s in Cockatoo and St Mark’s in Emerald.
And last week at a special ceremony held at the Emerald Community House hall, the two churches were among the recipients of Rotary’s Community Service Awards.
St Luke’s and St Mark’s both received $1000 for their hampers.
Emerald and District Rotary’s Greg Fallon said this year the club’s focus was specifically on helping its own community.
“We’re just so proud to give back.”
In addition to the two churches, the hills’ No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS), Cockatoo Township Committee, Emerald Business Group, and Emerald Community House’s Hills Kitchen all received support from Emerald Rotary.
Hills NILS has been operating since April 2009 and has so far handed out more than 130 loans worth around $125,000 dolars.
The scheme makes a world of difference to low-income residents in Cockatoo and the surrounding area, providing no interest loans for the essentials; whitegoods, bills, car repairs and registration.
The Hills Kitchen, run through Emerald Community House, received $600 for purchasing ingredients, packaging and labelling. The kitchen movement, which started in Frankston, has proved popular throughout Cardinia. It’s about buying, eating and growing local.
The Hills Kitchen offers food preparation and preservation courses and is mentored by the Kooweerup regional kitchen.
It is also on the lookout for not-for-profit organisations with the aim of bringing surplus food into the area.
The Cockatoo Township Committee received a new public address system, which is to be housed at the town’s community health centre.
Committee president Owen Deppeler said the system would be “a huge benefit for things like Australia Day and other activities”.
“Emerald and District Rotary Club is very supportive of us and we really appreciate it,” Mr Deppeler said.
To top off the list of recipients, Emerald Business Group received $500 for promotional banners.
Ian Ash – attending the ceremony as a member of Emerald and District Rotary, but also wearing dual hats as the Emerald Business Group Chair – accepted the cheque on the business group’s behalf.
The group has 40 people involved in it and started in 2009.
It works in conjunction with the Emerald Village Committee and Cardinia Shire Council to promote Emerald as a town.
Mr Ash said 2012 so far had been Emerald and District Rotary’s most exciting year to date, and thanked Mr Fallon and club president Ian Wakefield.
Mr Wakefield paid special tribute to the Emerald community, calling it the “most fantastic” he had ever been associated with.
“People are always putting each other out there to help others in a less fortunate position than themselves,” he said.
