Funds from Mounties to benefit 14 groups

Toni Oliver of Halekulani Bowling Club committee (from left), Sharyn Becker of Samaritans, Bev Baldwin and Dawn Hooper of the Iris Foundation, Nada Potter of Central Coast Kids Day Out and Mounties Group President John Dean

Fourteen local organisations which support youth, seniors, children and families have shared in $125,000 from the Mounties Group through the ClubGRANTS scheme.

Mounties Group venues Breakers Country Club, Club Wyong and Halekulani Bowling Club have provided the grant funding which was awarded at a special celebration held at Breakers.

Notable organisations receiving grants this year include Fair Fight, Learning Links, Central Coast Kids Day Out, Faith In Action Ministries, Camp Breakaway, Iris Foundation, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, Yarran Early Intervention Service, DREAMS2LIVE4, Wamberal Surf Life Saving Club, Wamberal Rural Fire Brigade and the Samaritans.  

Mounties Group President, John Dean said the ClubGRANTS program was an important part of Mounties Group.

“For clubs like ours, supporting the community is part of our purpose, so we continue to give back and support those who help our locals,” he said.

“As an organisation, we are so privileged to be able to donate to such important causes through our ClubGRANTS scheme.”

Learning Links is receiving a grant of more than $22,000 from Halekulani Bowling Club and Breakers to support its Reading and Counting for Life program.

The program will help local children from Kanwal, Budgewoi and Killarney Vale public schools, who are significantly struggling with vital literacy and numeracy skills.

“The grant funding will enable Learning Links to train up to 20 community volunteers to work one-on-one with children identified by the schools and psychologists as requiring additional assistance to improve their reading or numeracy, self-esteem and motivation to learn,” Dean said.

Another organisation being funded by Club Wyong under the 2022 ClubGRANTS is Guide Dogs NSW/ACT which has been given $2,618 for its stand-up paddle boarding initiative.

“We are looking to deliver stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) for at least eight young people with low vision or blindness and their families on the Central Coast,” said Jody Morris, Orientation and Mobility Specialist at Guide Dogs NSW/ACT.

“Partnering with a local SUP provider and the surf lifesaving club, we will support participants to develop new skills, build social connections with peers, enhance social wellbeing and encourage healthy lifestyle activities.

“We are delighted to be able to implement this important initiative thanks to the support of the Mounties Group grant,” Morris said.

Another funding recipient, Faith in Action Ministries, addresses a critical community challenge by networking with Central Coast businesses such as Mars Foods, SecondBite, Not Just Cakes, Norro’s Bakehouse and Good360 in Sydney to support disadvantaged and struggling families.

They provide between 100 and 120 hampers, clothing and other essential items through its fortnightly Free Food Pantry and Charity Clothing Boutique.

In total, the 2022 ClubGRANTS program across all Mounties Group venues sees the organisation give back almost $1.1M to more than 75 projects.

“It is important to acknowledge that without our 210,000 members these ClubGRANTS would not be possible,” Dean said.

“Every dollar spent with us means we can give more and more each year to our local communities,” he said.

Source:
Media release, Sept 1
Mounties Group