Record-breaking Christmas for Appeal

Early Christmas present: The Appeal received its largest ever donation at the end of November when the Catholic Diocese of Ballarat gave $50,000. Photo: FILE

THIS year’s 3BA Christmas Appeals was one of the most successful to date, with record community donations rolling in.

3BA general manager John Fitzgibbon said Ballarat is always generous, but the public’s contributions of cash, flexible grocery vouchers, non-perishable food, and gifts in 2021 has been “extraordinary.”

“The $50,000 donation from the Catholic Diocese was unexpected and has certainly boosted the Appeal significantly,” he said.

“We’re quite confident that we’ll exceed our efforts of previous years, and we’re likely to go close to, or exceed, $200,000-worth of both cash and goods, which have been distributed, or will be, to our agencies.”

The Appeal’s local beneficiary welfare charities are Uniting Vic.Tas, the Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul Society, and Anglicare Victoria.

Mr Fitzgibbon said the positive response from businesses has been reflective of a “whole-community approach” and attitude.

Eureka Concrete ran barbecues this year to generate $800 for the Appeal, Harcourts Ballarat donated $16,363 live on stage at Carols by Candlelight on the weekend, and Munro Engineers injected $20,000 earlier in the week, just to name a few contributions.

“We’d like to say a massive thank you to everybody in Ballarat who’s made a donation.

“Our goal is to make sure everybody who asks for assistance this Christmas gets it,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

“I think the Christmas spirit and the desire to look after each other is stronger here in Ballarat than anywhere else in Australia.”