THE 3BA Christmas Appeal is underway for the forty-second year, supporting families in need across the city this festive season.<\/p>\n
3BA general manager John Fitzgibbon said the last 18 months have been \u201ctumultuous,\u201d but having the chance to boost Uniting, Anglicare, St Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army\u2019s local delivery of crisis support means \u201ceverybody who needs help… gets it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve always found a way to get help to anyone, down to the last minute. The agencies are going guide us as best they can, and we\u2019re just going to do the best we can,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow difficult it\u2019s going to be to reach our targets this year is unknown, but it\u2019s probably going be even more challenging than last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cLockdowns were the rock in the pond, and we\u2019re seeing the large ripples, which could continue for another couple of years.\u201d<\/p>\n
One hundred per cent of the funds raised by the 3BA Christmas Appeal stay in Ballarat. They are distributed to the four agencies that then provide food hampers and toys for \u201ceveryday local families in need.\u201d<\/p>\n
When it comes to direct donations, accepted via the 3BA Appeals web page, Mr Fitzgibbon said \u201ccash is king,\u201d allowing for flexibility. Toyworld Ballarat also have an appeal giving tree.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf people do wish to make donations of non-perishable food or toys, they can do that directly at the Salvation Army on weekdays. They will collate and separate those so all four charities benefit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
While launching the appeal on air last week, ambassador and former 3BA general manager Peter Caligari announced he was stepping away from his involvement with radio, and the community fundraising initiative.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s spent 55 years with 3BA and has been the driving force behind the Christmas Appeal since it began in 1980.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will miss it, but I\u2019m now 82 years and five months, and when you get to 82 years, every month is very, very important,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve done the Christmas Appeal my way for the 41 years, but we\u2019re living in a changing era, and change from time-to-time is absolutely necessary.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow, it\u2019s going to be the responsibility of John and his great team at 3BA to take the appeals, Christmas and Winter, to the next level. I hope the foundation I\u2019m leaving with them can be built on very substantially.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Caligari said the appeal is an annual giving tradition for many Ballarat residents and businesses, who manage to persevere with their donations, even in tough times.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are just so keen still to support the appeal. Maybe not at the same level as two or three years ago, but they still want to play their part.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey recognise that there are many families that are so absolutely desperate; the poverty level is unbelievable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe appeals have achieved an enormous amount over the years, but all of that has been a result of a very caring and generous Ballarat community.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE 3BA Christmas Appeal is underway for the forty-second year, supporting families in need across the city this festive season. 3BA general manager John Fitzgibbon said the last 18 months have been \u201ctumultuous,\u201d but having the chance to boost Uniting, Anglicare, St Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army\u2019s local delivery of crisis support means […]<\/p>\n