THE Bendigo Northern District Community Enterprise is gearing up for a major community investment milestone event next month.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, 1 August the BNDCE will celebrate the $300,000 in funding they have granted over 15 years at a free community tree planting event and barbecue for National Tree Day.<\/p>\n
BNDCE board member Mike Lowther said the funding has been put towards a variety of community projects and initiatives over the years.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of it\u2019s gone to major projects, other amounts have gone in our twice-yearly grants programs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The group\u2019s most recent major project funding went to the Epsom skatepark, and to date they\u2019ve contributed around $104,000 to eight projects in total.<\/p>\n
Almost $139,000 for 127 grants was awarded through BNDCE\u2019s twice-yearly grants program.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also work with the other community enterprises around Bendigo from time to time and we\u2019ve had six joint community enterprise projects and that\u2019s totalled over $14,000,\u201d Mr Lowther said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s been 27 other various projects and they round up to around about just over $12,000.\u201d<\/p>\n
A board member for more than 10 years, Mr Lowther said he was particularly proud of the group\u2019s funding of defibrillator purchases.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, personally, it\u2019s been the defibrillator grants and being able to help community groups with purchasing the lifesaving defibrillators,\u201d he said. \u201cThat, for me, is something I\u2019m really proud of.\u201d<\/p>\n
The BNDCE\u2019s funding comes from a partnership with Bendigo Bank, Bendigo Telco and Viewpoint Huntly.<\/p>\n
A portion of profits made from Bank or Telco accounts voluntarily linked to the BNDCE by customers, or a financial contribution made by the developers of Viewpoint Huntly with each block of land purchased is redirected into the BNDCE\u2019s funding pool at no cost to customers.<\/p>\n
Mr Lowther invited members of the public to join the 1 August milestone celebration, with the group expecting to plant some 300 trees around the Bendigo Creek.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re a very welcoming group, we\u2019re always open for more people to come and join us and, as we say, make good ideas happen in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n