Representatives from 16 community groups were recently presented with donation cheques in the Council Chambers in Murwillumbah by Councillor Dot Holdom.
The donations represent Round Two of the Festivals Policy and Donations Policy funding for 2010/11.
Councillor Holdom said the Tweed community was fortunate to have a large number of dedicated volunteers who committed their time to community organisations, festivals and events.
“As a Council we like to encourage and support this community service through festivals and donations funding to ensure these groups are able to continue to provide the diverse range of services and entertainment they offer,” Councillor Holdom said.
“You knit the social fabric of our lives and on behalf of Council, I thank each and every one of you,” she said.
The groups receiving funding through the Donations Policy Funding were:
• Neighbourhood Watch Area 14
– $200
• Twin Towns Friends Association
– $2000
• Tweed Shire Women’s Service
Inc – $1256
• Northern Region Life Saver
Rescue Helicopter – $2000
• Tweed Palliative Support Inc –
$1800
• Story Dogs Inc – $400
Donations total – $7656
Co-founder of Story Dogs Inc, Janine Sigley, said her group works in 10 local schools to improve children’s reading and communication skills by the process of children reading to dogs.
“Dogs aren’t judgmental and the children relax, open up, try harder and have fun reading to a friendly and calm dog,” Ms Sigley said.
Story Dogs Inc will use the $400 donation from Council to purchase more books for the program.
Tweed Shire Women’s Services’ Management Committee President Diane Ashmore said her organisation would use the $1256 donation from Council to erect a cubby house at their women’s refuge, with the assistance of a local Rotary club.
“By the time they get to the refuge, these kids are quite traumatised after witnessing years of domestic abuse – we want things to be as normal as possible for them,” Ms Ashmore said.
Council also provided funding through its Festivals Policy, with the aim of increasing the quality and effectiveness of Tweed festivals and events.
“Tweed Shire has a diverse range of festivals and events each year that attract a combined audience of almost 200,000 from the community and visitors to the Tweed,” Councillor Holdom said.
“Council recognises the importance of festivals and events to the quality of life offered in the Tweed and the significant impact of these events to tourism and other industries.”
The groups receiving funding through the Festivals Policy Funding were:
• Murwillumbah Festival
of Performing Arts – $2169
(Murwillumbah Festival of
Performing Arts)
• Gold Coast Malibu Club
Inc – $1000 (Malfunction Surf
Festival)
• Tweed River Agricultural
Society Ltd – $7000
(Murwillumbah Show)
• Cabarita Beach Pottsville Lions
Inc – $1000 (Lions Greenback
Fishing Competition)
• Ukitopia Festival – $2000
(Ukitopia Festival)
• Tyalgum Festival Committee
Inc – $6000 (Tyalgum Festival
of Classical Music)
• Coolangatta – Mt Warning
Dragon Boat Club Inc – $1000
(Tweed River Dragon Boat
Festival)
• Chillingham Community
Association – $1000 (Three
Choirs Festival)
Festivals total – $21,169
Application forms for donations and festivals funding are available on Council’s website www.tweed.nsw.gov.au under ‘application forms’. Applications for the next round of funding close at the end of July.
