Golden Plains Shire marked an important anniversary last night: 20 years of the Community Planning program.
In addition to announcing the winners of Council’s Australia Day Awards, last night’s ceremony at the packed Bannockburn Cultural Centre celebrated Community Planning and recognised the hard work of the Community Coordinator volunteers who were present.
To mark 20 years of the program, a team of young residents put together a video to celebrate the success of the Community Planning program in Golden Plains, with assistance from a professional film maker, and premiered at the function.
Following the premiere screening of the video at the Awards night, Community Coordinators were called up by name to the stage, where their dedication to their communities was recognised with the gift of a native plant by Mayor Cr Owen Sharkey and applause from the audience.
Golden Plains Shire Council’s Community Planning program began in 1999, and supports individual communities across the Shire to identify goals for their own area and map out actions to achieve them. Community volunteers, known as Community Coordinators, oversee their town’s community plan, encourage the participation of their fellow residents, and advocate to Council and other organisations on behalf of their town.
From the Bunjil Eagle Viewing Platform at Maude, to Tai Chi classes at the Garibaldi Hall, the achievements of the program and its Community Coordinators are numerous and impressive.
Community Coordinators are the heart of the Community Planning program, and there would be no program without their dedication and volunteerism.
If you or someone you know are interested in getting involved as a Community Coordinator, contact Council’s Community Partnerships Officer at 5220 7111 or email [email protected].