Selfless acts by Anglicans, library friends allow community projects to go ahead

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Two Murray Bridge organisations have agreed to give up their grant funding to allow other projects to go ahead.

The Anglican Diocese of the Murray and the Friends of the Murray Bridge Library this month agreed to forego grants worth a total of $4200 – intended to pay for a hot water system and a portable stage, respectively – after a Murray Bridge council review of grant funding.

Councillors thanked both organisations for their selflessness at a meeting on Monday night.

The council had originally planned to give out almost $44,000 worth of community grants to 21 organisations.

The organisations had already been awarded less than the full amount they had asked for because there was not enough grant funding to go around.

Then came the coronavirus.

With events and many meetings cancelled, Councillor Karen Eckermann suggested it was worth going back to the drawing board.

"I'd rather the grants were locked off and reassessed based on the likelihood of events proceeding," she said at the council's April meeting.

"I don't think it's fair that applicants should be holding onto funds until 2021 when their events may not go ahead.

"That would be a waste of money that could go to capital projects."

This month, Cr Airlie Keen described the final outcome as "a win-win all round".

Successful grant applications

Projects whose grant applications were approved at Monday’s meeting included:

• Brinkley Hall: $1500 for floor maintenance
• Callington Show: $2100 for the annual show in October, provided it goes ahead
• Centacare: $1540 to help teenagers at risk of developing abusive relationships
• Jervois Memorial Hall: $3100 to prepare mural sites for the Jervois Art Trail
• Lifehouse International: $3100 for a Mainly Music program for preschool-aged children
• Maori Evangelical Church of SA: $3100 for a play group, the Look Life program, for children living with disability
• Moorundi Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service: $2100 for art workshops with Cedric Varcoe, when they are able to go ahead
• Murray Bridge Basketball Association: $3100 for the Murray Bridge Bullets' October carnival
• Murray Bridge Community Centre: $2100 for trestle tables and stackable seating
• Murray Bridge Croquet Club: $2100 for a family fun day which will go ahead when restrictions are lifted
• Murray Bridge Interchurch Council: $750 for a seminar with Ross Womesley of the SA Council for Social Service
• Murray Bridge Little Athletics Centre: $3100 for new high jump equipment
• Murray Mallee General Practice: $3100 for the Mental Health and Wellbeing Expo, provided it goes ahead
• Murraylands Gymnastics Academy: $1487 for new equipment
• Murraylands Homes for the Aged: $3100 for an automatic door at the Jean Jarvis Centre
• Pony Club Association of South Australia: $2100 for kitchen upgrades at its southern zone clubrooms at Monarto
• RSL Murray Bridge: $3100 for a ceiling in a rear room
• Silent Ripples: $1362 to furnish newly acquired premises
• South Australian branch of the Australian Lace Guild: $2489 for Bobbin' Along the Murray, an event for lacemakers

Photos of Anglican Bishop Keith Dalby and his wife Alice, and the Friends of the Library: Anglican Diocese of the Murray, Rural City of Murray Bridge.