Lions Club and Bellbrae Cemetery Trust team up

TORQUAY Lions Club has partnered with Bellbrae Cemetery Trust to assist with maintenance and minor works at the cemetery.

Trust chair Jeff Wapling said before the pandemic, the cemetery was maintained by people completing community service hours.

“We found a lot of cemeteries around Victoria were doing the same thing, so people doing community service would come in regularly and mow and trim the grounds.”

The program worked well, but COVID-19 restrictions forced the trust to change tack.

“We spoke to the Lions Club, some are trustees too, and asked if they would be interested in helping us with this role,” Mr Wapling said.

“Their avenues for fundraising have been curtailed as well, so they volunteer their time and we pay the Lions Club, which then filters back through the community. It’s a win-win.

“Every six weeks or so, Lions will mow, whipper snipper and take care of the weeds.”

Former Lions Club president John Bell said the club was struggling in the present climate.

“The Bellbrae cemetery is our only consistent source of revenue at the moment. We’ll do another duck race in November and then we will keep selling Christmas cakes at the market.

“If there are any other opportunities, we would like to do it.

“We haven’t been able to do our barbecues because Bunnings and Woolworths haven’t re-started them yet. It has put us under pressure.

“We are wondering how we will fund our school scholarships that we give to a boy and girl from each local school for their contribution to
the community.”

Information about the next duck race fundraiser can be found on the club’s Facebook page, along with further opportunities to support the Torquay Lions Club.