Special Acknowledgement...
BacLinks would like to thank the Portland Observer for their strong support of the BacLinks Program and the Portland area.
Special News...BacLinks 130 Community Link Launched
Recent 'Making the Link' project Highlights
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Download 2009 'Making the Link' Project List (Pdf 800kb)
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BacLinks Portland has launched the new 130 Community Link
From left: Paul Thornton, Portland Aluminium Manufacturing Manager; Sheree Holdsworth, BacLinks Manager; Guest Speaker Andrew Wright, BSI Learning; Carol Stewart, Portland BacLinks Project Officer; Cheryl Clay, Owner Sandilands Restaurant
BacLinks launched the new and exciting Portland 130 Community Link on Tuesday 20 October thanks to the sponsorship of a Portland Aluminium ACTION Grant and support by Sandilands.
The BacLinks Program is aimed towards forming collaborations between business and community sectors to meet community need. The 130 Community Link will assist this process significantly and provide opportunities for the community to come together on a regular basis to share information and learn from each other.
“The 130 Community Link will seek to support and promote over 300 Portland and District community organisations and will strengthen and expand our existing associations with community to help us to meet both the needs of business and community,” said Ms Stewart, Portland BacLinks Project Officer.
“BacLinks has found that community organisations need advice and information to empower themselves, engage with business and survive financially” Ms Stewart went on to say. “The network will provide a forum to register community projects, meet with local funding sources and hear from guest speakers. Our first speaker is Community Governance expert, Andrew Wright, who will talk about constitutions, budgets, boards, policies etc.”
“BacLinks have also learned that business want to actively support their community but often do not have the time to find out what the real community needs are”.
Portland Aluminium Operations Manager Mr John Osborne stated that Baclinks assist Portland Aluminium to apply and share their core values through the sourcing of community projects for their Making the Link employee volunteering program.
“A community network will foster communication and support organisations with their planning and day to day operations, helping them to achieve their goals and objectives,” said Mr Osborne. “Our employee volunteers have assisted BacLinks with the development of the network and were hands on at the launch, enabling BacLinks to receive a $US1,500 ACTION grant from the Alcoa Foundation”.
Recent 'Making the Link' Project Highlights...
Bolwarra Primary School Oval refurbishment
Keen to promote physical activity within the Bolwarra Primary School playground, Portland Aluminium apprentices volunteered to conduct a major refurbishment of the school’s oval.
The school is currently undergoing the ‘Go For Your Life’ accreditation. The objective of the Go For Your Life Program is to provide students with a high quality play area which caters for those children that are sport minded, but also those that just wish to play.
“With an ACTION Grant from Portland Aluminium, topped up by the Parents Club, the school is able to purchase some highly demanded play equipment including soccer goals, football goal posts and other fitness gear for around the oval to compliment our new Multipurpose Hall”, said Mr Gibbons, Bolwarra Principal, himself a recreational runner. |
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IDoPWD Beach party
Over 150 clients from Portland and surrounding districts gathered at the Portland foreshore for the Annual International Day of People with a Disability (IDoPWD) Beach Party.
The Party celebrates bringing people with a disability and the broader community together and provides an opportunity for people with a disability to have some of the same opportunities and choices as everyone else.
PA employee volunteers were on hand for the third consecutive year to offer social support as the clients enjoyed the event’s games and activities.
Mr John Osborne, PA Operations Manager believes the Party provides an excellent opportunity for employees to “further understand the challenges they [people with disabilities] face”.
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RDA Spring Gymkhana
PA employees helped run the games and canteen at the 2nd Annual Riding for the Disabled (RDA) Spring Gymkhana at Yarraman Park.
The horse riding event, which coincides with the International Day of People with a Disability (IDoPwD), was conducted by RDA, Glenelg Branch, in partnership with Portland & District Adult Riding Club Inc.
Rideability Victoria provides horse riding and related activities to people with disabilities. Mrs Lisa May, Riding for the Disabled President,said that their programs have “therapeutic, developmental and social value for riders and drivers”.
Mrs May went on to say “Our Spring Gymkhana provides an
opportunity to showcase our program and the abilities of our clients to the local community, and attract more volunteers to the program”. |
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Bundarra Primary School/Kyeema Centre Project
PA employee volunteers were kept busy when they completed two projects in one day during September.
In the morning they moved and expanded the Bundarra Primary School Grade 3 vegetable garden into corrugated iron tanks.
After lunch, the volunteers helped Kyeema Centre clients paint and clean buildings and outdoor furniture in preparation for the Centre’s major fund raiser, the Annual Spring Sale.
Kyeema Centre CEO Mr Lionel Gee, said the Making the Link Project would help to promote equality of people with a disability and reduce discrimination.
“It is great to see Portland Aluminium’s Making the Link Program is committed to projects that encourage full participation of people with a disability,” said Mr Gee. |
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Portland District Health Activity Day
Portland Aluminium volunteers spent the day supporting Portland District Health Activity Day residents and carers at Harbourside Lodge, Seaview House and Meals on Wheels.
The project involved both one-on-one and group activities, such as taking residents for a walk, reading the newspaper, hand massages and board games. PA also offered a tour of the smelter for the more mobile residents.
Ms Jo Lowday, Acting CEO, Portland District Health said “It is great to see local businesses wanting to establish a real connection with our staff and residents. This grassroots volunteering supports our programs and also provides an opportunity to gain a better understanding of one another”.
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