Page 4 The Moorabool News – 18 January, 2022
News
Email - news@themooraboolnews.com.au
A thank you, for thank you project Council and two local residents have thanked partners and the community who helped with a project last December, which showed community gratitude to emergency service personnel. The Bacchus Marsh ‘Thank you Frontline Workers Project’ began as an idea of two passionate locals, Nimmy Justus and Veronica Bertram, dedicated to recognising the community’s hard work and sacrifice over a challenging couple of years. The project was developed through the duo’s participation in Council's 2021 Community Leadership Program, where they learnt about leadership styles, civic participation, local government, and project planning, with the support of Council staff, local leaders, and community organisations. Nimmy and Veronica played to their strengths in developing their project. Nimmy is a talented crafter and card maker, and has fantastic organisation skills. Veronica has lived in Bacchus Marsh for 34 years, and has fantastic networks through her work in the hospital and her connections within the local community, which were key in planning the project. Together, their knowledge, networks, and dedication worked to create a fantastic community initiative. Nimmy and Veronica decided to design a project that would encourage the Bacchus Marsh community to participate in expressing gratitude and appreciation for our local frontline worker organisations. These organisations included the Bacchus Marsh Hospital, Paramedics, SES, CFA and Police. Nimmy and Veronica
ran two card making workshops at Darley Neighbourhood House and Lerderderg Library, created a new Facebook group, and networked with community partners to make the idea a reality throughout December 2021. On Monday 20 December 2021, Nimmy and Veronica delivered the cards of appreciation to all the frontline worker organisations to conclude their project just in time for Christmas. “It was very rewarding to see the facial expressions, the gestures and the body language of the recipients who were appreciative of our community project,” Nimmy said. “It is really important to express thanks and gratitude to these frontline worker organisations at this time of year. Having community members acknowledge the challenges experienced in this tough year works to lift people's spirits, knowing that the community appreciates them so much,” Veronica added. “The Community Leadership Program taught me that when you are working together for a community, you engender ideas, and for these to be successful you need to collaborate with the community during this process. You work together and draw on other’s expertise and through this combined effort, such a great result can be achieved.” Council, Nimmy, and Veronica acknowledged the project partners who helped to support the Thank you Frontline Workers Project: The Moorabool News, Darley Neighbourhood House, Moorabool Libraries, Raynor First National, Design and Branding, and Darley Primary School.
Frontline workers were thanked by Nimmy Justus and Veronica Bertram and included the Bacchus Marsh Fire Brigade, SES, Western Health Bacchus Marsh Hospital, local AV paramedics, and Victoria Police members. Photos - MSC