NEWS DESK
Kitchen gets moving to feed homeless Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au SAINTS “in shining armour” have made up a cash shortfall to buy a mobile kitchen trailer to help feed homeless and disadvantaged people in the Frankston area. Karingal Hub shopping centre has donated $8000 to Life-Gate after Frankston Council last month failed to support a submission to council’s midyear budget review (“Mobile kitchen help gets knocked back”, The Times 19/2/18). Life-Gate co-founder, the Reverend Angel Roldan, told councillors at January’s public council meeting that $28,000 towards the $36,000 kitchen trailer had been raised from corporate and federal government donors. St Kilda Football Club has also invited Life-Gate to be the AFL club’s charity partner at this year’s Saints Season Launch event. Money raised at the 9 March season launch will be donated to Life Gate’s Meals For Change mobile kitchen to cover extra costs and buy food. “We’re amazed at how the community has come together to cover this shortfall,” the Rev Roldan said, describing the donors as "knights in shining armour". “We would love to see the community come along to the Saints season launch to support this worthy cause.” Cr Kris Bolam, a former board member of Life-Gate, hopes council
processes can be improved so charities and community groups can be helped if they urgently need money outside of the usual budget process. Councillors unanimously backed his notice of motion at the February public council meeting to have council officers prepare a report on establishing an “emergency grants” program. The notice of motion stated: “In light of the recent out-of-budget funding request from Life-Gate, regarding a process for community groups and sporting clubs to make (where there is a necessitated need) ‘emergency’ or ‘urgent’ funding requests to council outside of the budget process via a defined funding pool.” Neighbouring Kingston Council introduced a Quick Response Grants program after the Labor state government axed councillors’ discretionary ward grants in 2015 following controversy over grants being given to groups with political affiliations. A Local Government Inspectorate investigation in 2013 found four councils out of 32 across the state who allowed councillors to dish out discretionary ward funds had appropriate measures in place to stop potential misuse of ward grants. Kingston caps quick response grants at $2000 a year for an individual, charity or community group. n St Kilda Football Club’s Season Launch is at Frankston Park Oval on Friday 9 March, 6-8.30pm. See saints. com.au or call 1300 467 246 for more details.
Winning design: Frankston Primary School pupil Lia Velissaris with her Sugar Rush design for a Moomba Festival float. Picture: Supplied
Float from page to parade PARADE goers and viewers watching on TV at home will see a "made in Frankston" float at this year’s Moomba parade in Melbourne on Monday 12 March. Frankston High School pupil Lia Velissaris, 8, is one of six children whose design of a float for the city central Moomba Festival was chosen as a winner to be built. There were about 2000 entries from across Victoria. Lia’s winning design was called Sugar Rush and features lollies and sweets. Her mother, Sarah Velissaris, said Lia loves art and crafts and entered
the Design A Float competition at the Moomba Festival last year. “After exhausting ourselves with rides and hot weather she decided to give the design a go,” she said. “She reckons everyone loves candy and her favourite food is ice-cream, so that was her inspiration. “Melbourne Council prefers the designers to walk alongside the float on the day so she will be interviewed during the parade alongside her brother.” The Frankston schoolgirl is not the only local connection to this year’s festival. Mornington Peninsula resident
Jimmy Giggle — co-star of ABC TV children’s show Giggle and Hoot — has been crowned King of Moomba alongside Moomba Queen, radio personality Chrissie Swan. Michael Paul, of Carrum Downs, will also don his flying device to take part in the traditional Birdman Rally on the banks of the Yarra River to raise money for MS Australia. Mr Paul won the contest last year for the longest flight on the day before plunging into the river. See moomba.melbourne.vic.gov.au for more details about the Moomba Festival in Melbourne on 9-12 March. Neil Walker
If you’re travelling over summer, it’s your responsibility to be fire ready. Check Fire Danger Ratings for the districts you will travel through before you leave, listen to local radio while on the road, and monitor conditions via the VicEmergency App. If you’re travelling into bush or grasslands, carry a first aid kit, woollen blankets, plenty of drinking water and make sure your phone is fully charged. Never travel to areas where the Fire Danger Rating is Extreme or Code Red. The reasons why are black and white.
emergency.vic.gov.au Download the VicEmergency app PAGE 6
Frankston Times 5 March 2018
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