Landcare seeks members
THE Ararat Landcare Group was formed in 2000.
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Unlike most farmer Landcare groups, ours is an urban environmental group, focusing on weed control in the city (gorse in particular), the protection of native flora and fauna, co-operation with council in keeping the city and surrounds litter free and planting native trees and shrubs in suitable areas of our urban landscape.
Our current project is establishing a small park and play area in McNeill Street, close to a new housing area with many young children and with no major roads to cross.
Like some other community groups we have an ageing membership and are finding it increasingly difficult to fulfill all our aims and projects.
We appeal to any local citizens with spare time or any newcomers to Ararat to join our working bees and other environmental activities, which bring benefits to the general community.
Stephen Hughan is currently president of our group and can be contacted at his nursery shop in business hours on 5352 1123 for more detailed information.
KEITH LITTLE
Ararat
Celebrate volunteers
INTERNATIONAL Volunteer Day, which was established by the United Nations in 1985, is celebrated each year on December 5.
It is a day for volunteer-based organisations and individual volunteers to celebrate their efforts, to share their values and to raise public awareness of their contributions to economic and social development at local, national and international levels.
International Volunteer Day is celebrated worldwide with thousands of volunteers involved in a range of events as diverse as the volunteers themselves.
Grampians Community Health volunteers will celebrate with a breakfast on December 5. The breakfast will acknowledge the amazing work volunteers do to improve the lives of people within our community.
Our 80 volunteers visit people, drive our community car, make sure people are not isolated but included in our community, assist with youth programs, build and maintain networks for people with disabilities, mental health or aged people and build confidence in people who are socially isolated.
Many people think volunteering is something nice that people can do and it may make them feel great about helping, but what impact does it really have? Why is volunteering important?
Volunteers get things done and throughout the world, have an enormous impact on the health and wellbeing of their communities.
Here are some examples:
- Volunteers deliver critical services – from serving as volunteer firefighters or participating in search and rescue, to delivering meals to home-bound seniors or homeless youth, to manning the phone lines at domestic violence and sexual assault centres.
- Volunteers help to keep neighbourhoods, streets, parks, rivers, green spaces and water clean and safe for everyone.
- Volunteers tutor, teach, mentor, coach and support young people with everything from maths homework to dealing with personal crises to football and soccer games.
- Volunteers walk dogs, pet cats, clean cages, help with adoptions and feedings, and contribute veterinary expertise to organisations like animal shelters and wildlife rehabilitation centers.
- Volunteers educate the public on health and safety; doctors and nurses donate time and medical knowledge to free clinics and natural-civil disaster areas worldwide.
- Volunteers take tickets at film centres and performing arts events, lead tours at museums and historical societies and ensure that arts and cultural festivals – from small-scale gatherings to massive multi-stage concerts – run smoothly.
- Volunteers build houses and schools, dig wells and repair infrastructure around the globe.
Volunteer day is so worth celebrating.
For more information or if you would like to join our wonderful team of volunteers, call us on 5358 7400.
JILL MILLER
CEO, Grampians Community Health
Australia Day awards
NOMINATIONS are now open for Northern Grampians Shire Council’s 2017 Australia Day awards. The awards are presented at annual Australia Day celebrations in Stawell and St Arnaud and aim to recognise the contributions of residents.
Council encourages the community to start thinking about friends, family and neighbours deserving of acknowledgement.
We put a real emphasis on Australia Day here in the Northern Grampians Shire and we think it is the ideal time to recognise and congratulate residents that are going above and beyond to make a difference in their communities.
With January fast approaching, we want to hear from people who know of someone who should be recognised for what they do.
It can be anything – from helping out at a sporting or service group, donating their time to a cause, organising an outstanding event and many things in between.
Plans are underway for a traditional breakfast ceremony in St Arnaud, which will include the presentation of Australia Day Awards.
Stawell’s Australia Day celebrations will include an afternoon pool party at the Stawell Leisure Complex, followed by entertainment, award presentations, a citizenship ceremony and fireworks at Cato Park during the evening.
TONY DRISCOLL
Mayor, Northern Grampians Shire