General News
17 June, 2024
Community Bank partnership to support Energy Breakthrough volunteers
The future of one of Maryborough’s biggest attractions has been solidified with Energy Breakthrough (EB) securing an important sponsorship until 2026. Following last year’s successful partnership, the Community Bank Avoca, Maryborough and St...
The future of one of Maryborough’s biggest attractions has been solidified with Energy Breakthrough (EB) securing an important sponsorship until 2026.
Following last year’s successful partnership, the Community Bank Avoca, Maryborough and St Arnaud have signed on as official volunteer sponsors for the next three years, where the community bank will provide EB volunteers with uniforms, training, food and drink as well as assist in recruiting new volunteers.
Central Goldfields Shire mayor and EB Management Group committee chair Liesbeth Long said the sponsorship could enhance the prospects of the event.
“This sponsorship is going to do so much because it supports our volunteers — EB can’t run without our 700 volunteers so to have ongoing funding for three years is great,” she said.
“I hope the event has a very strong future and knowing that we have three years of ongoing funding takes the pressure off a little bit.
“We are always looking for sponsorships, particularly a major sponsor, but to know our volunteers will be taken care of gives us more time and resources to focus on other areas.
“This year’s event is starting to look really good already, so we are super proud of that and it’s encouraging to see people still love it and want to be involved.”
According to the 2023 EB debrief report, around 3500 students from 108 schools participated in the competition, adding over $3.5 million to the local economy.
Cr Long said the continued success of EB is dependent on the effort of volunteers.
“If you put a dollar value to the volunteer effort at EB, there would be no way you could fund that,” she said.
“They are in the office timekeeping, they are on corners marshalling and judging, they do so much for the event.
“People come back year after year — there are people that have been doing it for 20 plus years and that just blows my mind.
“If people wanted to get into volunteering, this is a great event to start, it has been running for over 30 years so you will be in good hands.”
The Community Bank Avoca, Maryborough and St Arnaud has contributed $2.3 million to local community groups and events, including funds for Asteria, Maryborough and District Highland Pipe Band and the Committee for Maryborough this year.
According to executive officer Julie Driscoll, the community bank’s local support is made possible by residents.
“The community bank model is based on the profits being given back to the community and there is no other event like EB, we have sponsored local schools since EB started as it gives our local kids something unique,” she said.
“The council do an amazing job but it is a huge task to do all of the rostering, infrastructure, marquees and catering to support all the volunteers.
“As the number of volunteers decline in so many organisations, we really didn’t want to see EB be impacted by that and if this funding helps that to attract more volunteers, then it is a really good investment.”
The upcoming EB event is scheduled for Wednesday, November 20 to Sunday, November 24 at Princes Park, Maryborough.
For more information about the event and how to become a volunteer, visit www.eb.org.au