Winter Appeal effort heats up across the city

AS if you didn’t need any reminder that we’re still in the doldrums of winter last weekend’s freezing temperatures and snowfalls made it even more real.

That’s why two recent efforts as part of the 3BA Winter Appeal will have even more impact.

“The snow that’s hit really reinforces the need and it’s not as if it’s going to stop when it comes to the end of winter,” said John Fitzgibbon, 3BA station director. “The Appeal is progressing well, but we just want people to remember it does go through to the end of August.”

Last week Fed Uni held a fund rising lunch and on Monday teams from the Winter Appeal were out at Coles stores across the city gathering donations of food, thousands of dollars in gift cards, and cash tins located at registers.

Manager at Coles Stockland Wendouree, Sharon German, has been coordinating the supermarket’s effort across the city for the Winter appeal for six years.

“Customers know now that Coles support the Winter Appeal every year and they seem to support it really well,” she said.

Appeal ambassador, Peter Caligari, said the need this year was acute, with 20 new families registering with one recipient charity in the last week alone.

“This has been one of the most severe winters we’ve had for a long time,” he said. “The pressure on our charities and welfare agencies is just unbelievable.”

The donations from Coles comes on top of an effort by Federation University staff and students last week. They took part in a charity lunch at the Mt Helen campus.

Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Helen Bartlett said the University works towards transforming lives and enhancing communities.

“It fills me with pride to see our mission in action,” she said. “The amazing results every year would not be possible without the generosity of the University’s many staff, students, sponsors and partners who have donated their time, money and products for the annual appeal.”

Donations to the 3BA’s Winter Appeal provide support to four welfare agencies and charities Uniting Ballarat, Anglicare, the Salvation Army and the St Vincent de Paul Society.

They deliver relief to Ballarat families who often need to make the tough decision between staying warm or putting dinner on the table.