Re-launched Business Murray Bridge appeals for memberships

It's a new dawn for Murray Bridge's business association – local businesses are now able to sign up and become members.

Re-launched Business Murray Bridge appeals for memberships

This story about a community cause is free to read. Please help Murray Bridge News tell more local stories by subscribing.

Business Murray Bridge chair Stephen Walker encourages local business owners to become members at a breakfast on Wednesday. Photo: Peri Strathearn.

Murray Bridge’s business association is back in, well, business.

After taking nearly three years to re-form, with new committee members and new goals, Business Murray Bridge is now calling for local businesses to become members.

Member businesses will get the services of a paid part-time coordinator, whose job it will be to:

  • Listen to members, visiting them and surveying them about their priorities
  • Communicate with them about opportunities available
  • Advocate for them with the Murray Bridge council and state and federal governments
  • Bring them together at events and workshops

The association hopes to find 75 local businesses willing to pay $20 a month, or $240 per year, to make it all possible.

The author of this story, a Business Murray Bridge committee member, made the pitch at a breakfast event at Murray Bridge Club on Wednesday morning.

“Together, I think we can achieve more than any one of us can by ourselves,” I said.

“I’m excited, and I hope you’ll join us.”

About 30 local business owners and managers network at the breakfast at the remodelled Murray Bridge Club. Photo: Peri Strathearn.

Defibrillator campaign launched

Chairperson Stephen Walker hoped Business Murray Bridge could play a constructive role in the community.

For example, as a secondary focus, he hoped to lead a campaign encouraging local businesses to purchase defibrillators, or AEDs, and register them with the SA Ambulance Service so they could be found more easily in case someone had a heart attack.

Mr Walker experienced the importance of time in such situations in 2018, when radio presenter Jeff Sunderland collapsed at 5MU’s Murray Bridge studios.

Radio station staff were able to fetch an AED within five minutes, but were unable to save their colleague.

“What price would you put on saving the life of a customer, a member of your staff, or a member of the public who happened to be on the street near you?” Mr Walker asked.

He hoped to get 75 per cent of local AEDs registered with the SAAS by October 16, Restart a Heart Day.

Murray Computers’ Matt Gravestocks also spoke at the event, about the benefits of cloud-based data storage.

The sun rises at Murray Bridge Club on Wednesday. Photo: Peri Strathearn.

Disclosure: The author is, as mentioned above, a Business Murray Bridge committee member.

You can help keep local stories like this one free for everyone to read. Subscribe to Murray Bridge News today and support your independent, locally owned news service, plus get access to exclusive stories you won’t find anywhere else, from just $5 a month.