Ettalong Beach Public School Parents and Carers’ (P&C) Association has been awarded $10,000 to purchase ‘Big Ass Fans’, after their bid was successful in the 2021 Community Building Partnership program.
Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch, visited Ettalong Beach Public School to announce the successful bid and congratulate the school P&C and community.
“A huge congratulations and well done to all the stakeholders involved getting this phenomenal outcome,” Tesch said.
“P&C President Kerry McMorrow and member Kylie Becker have achieved a fantastic result for the school community that will be of long-lasting benefit.
“They should both be very proud.”
Ettalong Beach Public School P&C will purchase industrial-scale fans to place in the school hall to better circulate and cool the air.
Relieving Principal Jodie Campbell explained how the hot conditions can become in the hall during warm summer days.
“During summer and especially on the afternoons, the hall can become a very unpleasant environment for students, teachers and parents,” Campbell said.
“These fans will become a very pleasant environment for students, teachers and parents.
“These fans will be very welcomed and appreciated by the school community and after COVID-19, will allow our whole-school community to come together again in one place.”
P&C President Kerry McMorrow discussed the work that has gone into reaching this outcome.
“We started fundraising in 2019 and hosted a social event with parents called the ‘Winter Social’ to raise funds to go towards this project,” McMorrow said.
“We also sold raffle tickets at Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter and Christmas concerts.
“Coupled with the money we have fundraised, this grant will allow us to purchase these fans and save us from waiting any longer.”
P&C Member Kylie Becker is ecstatic with the outcome of the P&C bid to the Community Building Partnership program.
“This has been my first application to the Community Building Partnership program and to have been successful is a real pleasure,” Becker said.
“This year has been so difficult for so many school communities, and this announcement provides our community with some joy and buzz to finish off the year.
“I’d like to thank Liesl Tesch for all the work she’s done supporting our application and encouraging us to apply.”
School Captains and Vice-Captain Tam Johnston, Hadil Allam and George Cheany, have provided a students’ perspective on what these fans mean for the school community.
“It’s really hard to focus during the school assemblies or activities when it’s hot inside the hall, these fans will help us listen, pay attention and learn more easily,” the students said.
Tesch has urged more school P&C associations with projects requiring funding in the Gosford electorate to consider applying to next year’s Community Building Partnership.
“I encourage all P&C associations in my community to complete an application and apply for funding to the Community Building Partnership, this money is set aside each year for community improvement, and I want as many organisations accessing it,” Tesch said.
More information about the Community Building Partnership can be found at https://www.nsw.gov.au/projects/community-building-partnership.
Source:
Media release, Dec 8
Member for Gosford,
Liesl Tesch