Scout groups within the Ballarat area recently donated $470.65 to Ballarat Fire Brigade, thanks to a clever plan to make use of five cent pieces.
Initially, the scout groups hoped to raise money for bushfire relief efforts following the 2019-20 bushfires, but this was challenging because of COVID-19 restrictions.
They came up with the idea of collecting five cent pieces, which meant no one felt pressured to raise a huge sum of money – and a little goes a long way.
Their fundraising efforts were dubbed ‘five cent Fridays’, with scout members collecting five cent pieces every Friday at their local schools.
On Tuesday 6 September Andrew Sanders from 1st Wendouree Scout Group presented their donation to the brigade.
Young members from the participating scout groups joined Andrew as he presented the donation to the brigade, making use of the time to chat with firefighters and check out the equipment used at the station.
“We are grateful to be on the receiving end of this generous donation, and plan on putting the money toward four new signs for brigade training,” Captain Cartledge said.
“It’s a good opportunity for them to get up close at the station and see what community donations like theirs can actually be used for.
“Some of the scouts may have a future interest in firefighting, so it’s great for the brigade to continue to build relationships with the younger members of our community.”