Locals lead community bus dream

A TRIO of Portarlington businessowners are banding together to drive a grassroots push to purchase a community bus, aimed at improving local transport and connection across the town.

Lawyer and former wine bar owner Marlene Ebejer, Kouture by the Sea’s Karen King and hairdresser Guy Tucker, operating as KMG Community Events, are hoping to raise $76,000 to purchase a 10-seater bus able to ferry locals where they need to go, whether it be to the shops, medical appointments or elsewhere.

The trio’s vision for the bus will see it remain community-owned, community-operated and free to use, with volunteers stepping in to help drive and ongoing fundraising and community donations to maintain the vehicle and cover petrol costs.

Ms Ebejer said the initiative was motivated by the conversations the KMG Community Events team had enjoyed with local residents in their respective fields of work and gaps in the existing public transport network.

“We wanted to do something that would be useful, and we started talking about people that we meet who are lonely or isolated or can’t get around,” she said, offering the example of her own mother who, now 90, no longer has a licence.

“I started to come across quite a lot of people who were in that situation, as did Karen and Guy, and so we decided what was really needed was some form of transport that was easy to access.

“The whole idea is somebody needs to go to a hospital appointment or medical appointment [but] they can’t get there, then someone will be able to take them.

“There’s no fees, but if they wanted to donate some money towards petrol costs, then we would accept that.”

The community bus would also offer social connection to those who may be experiencing loneliness or isolation, concerns Ms Ebejer said were common among the town’s older residents.

“The idea is to really help people that can’t get around and who are isolated, to give them somebody to talk to,” Ms Ebejer said.

“Somebody said ‘Oh, you won’t be able to raise that money’ and I said ‘Just watch’.

“I think it’s very achievable. We’re going to do it… we’re a very determined team.”

KMG Community Event’s first fundraiser, a low-cost karaoke evening, will be held on June 13, while a gala ball will take place at Terindah Estate on September 13.

Locals and businesses interested in supporting the community bus initiative are invited to donate prizes that can be auctioned at KMG Community Event’s upcoming fundraising events or support the project with a financial donation.

For more information, or to follow the initiative’s journey, follow KMG Community Events on Facebook.