Chum Creek Primary School is now expanding garden beds and constructing a memorial to friends and family lost in the February fires, thanks to the generosity of fellow Victorian school students and community groups.
Students from 20 schools located across suburban Melbourne participated in the 2009 Canstruction Melbourne event. Although the event’s focus was on science and maths education, part of the day also included a component to raise money for bushfire-affected families and communities. Students selected the Chum Creek Primary School community garden project as the recipient of a $6000 grant.
The gathering, facilitated with the assistance of Planet Give and The Salvation Army, gave students a voice to decide where they thought the money raised would be of most benefit. When students decided on a garden in a bushfire-affected area, where people could relax with nature and friends, was the best use of funds, Salvation Army Envoy Graeme Mawson, based at Healesville, knew just the school to put forward.
The Salvation Army’s Bushfire Relief Fund and Planet Give’s online community of donors also contributed to the final donation.
Michael Corr, Chum Creek Primary School principal, and students received the donation on behalf of the school, saying it would be of great assistance for the school’s vegie gardens. An automatic watering system, to help sustain the garden over school holidays, is at the top of the list for the grant money. A community memorial garden for friends and family members who perished will also be constructed at the school.
Taken from: The Salvation Army Victorian Bushfire Recovery
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