Community raises $10K for local program

AN ANNUAL golf day has raised a five-figure amount for local youth to go overseas for the opportunity of a lifetime.

The annual Bellarine Golf Day, hosted by Geelong Youth Engagement (GYE) on Friday last week, is celebrating $10,000 in funds raised, which will fund at least one Geelong, Bellarine, or Surf Coast child to take on the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea.

GYE program leader and fundraising manager Sam Davison said it was an uplifting morning raising funds, as community members commenced play as early as 8am at Portarlington Golf Club.

“Each child costs about $7,500 to send one child to Kokoda, so we raised enough money to essentially send one and half children on that one morning, and we’ll have another golf day later in the year as well,” Ms Davison said.

“We aim to hold at least six fundraising events each year, one every two months, and we’ve been running this particular golf day for the past three years.”

GYE was established in 2020 and continues to support young people facing challenges from the ages of 12-18, through its youth programs including the Geelong Kokoda Youth Program, which has been running since 2013.

“There’s always a lot of laughter among the group, but we always try to have someone from our program speak to the crowd and touch on their upbringing and challenges, and how GYE has had an impact on them,” Ms Davison said.

Anyone wishing to become a sponsor of GYE or wishing to donate can head to geelongyouthengagement.org.au/get-involved