Port families benefit from more than $9,000 of generosity

PORTARLINGTON’S annual Christmas Gift Program donated more than $9,000 last year to ensure local families struggling during the festive season enjoyed Christmas.

The Portarlington Business Development Association (PBDA) started the program about five years ago when it decided to put $700 aside to support one family.

Since then, the donations have increased, with 13 families receiving $700 last Christmas to help them fill stockings.

During a recent PBDA function, president John Rae said one of the great things members had done was contribute to the Christmas spirit.

“I would like to recognise that we have donated $9,100, and that’s come from the Indented Head Group of Six, GC Downard Boutique Real Estate, an anonymous resident, Portside Pilates, Pier View Lolly Shop, The Port Report, PBDA, Oxygen College, Portarlington Mussel Festival, Portarlington Drysdale Community Bank, Portarlington/Drysdale Lions Club, and the Portarlington Golf Club,” Mr Rae said.

“We’ve never asked anyone for money, we just started it by ourselves and when people heard about it they came to us, and then we write to them every year and say would you like to do it again?

“And, after our last meeting the Celtic Festival and Bellarine Bayside have stepped in to also donate one.

“I’d like to thank you all for your generosity.”

During the night, guest speaker Mike Smith, chief executive officer of ANZ Banking Group during 2007-2015, also spoke about the scene of the world in terms of the economy and how that plays out into the Australian economy and how that would affect locals in certain ways.