Can collection scheme sparks community fundraising success

By Jemma Jones

May 3, 2024

The Kyabram Scouts raised over $500 in their collection efforts, which will help support the scouts in their journey to the Queensland Jamboree. Photo by Kyabram Free Press

Community groups in Kyabram have recently thrived in their fundraising efforts, thanks to the collection of cans, bottles, and cartons via the newly introduced container deposit scheme.

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Every recyclable item, such as aluminium cans, plastic bottles, glass bottles, paperboard cartons, and steel bottles, is redeemable for 10 cents.

Introduced last year, the scheme aims to divert 80% of recyclables from landfills by 2030.

Community groups such as the Kyabram Scouts, the Blue Light organisation, and the Kyabram Community Learning Centre (KCLC) have been collecting recyclables to fundraise for their various projects.

Last weekend, both the Kyabram Scouts and the Blue Light group collected cans from the community.

The Kyabram Scouts, led by Joey Scout leader Karen Brumby, collected over 6000 in one collection session, while Blue Light, led by Senior Constable Mitchell Bull, collected over 12,000 containers.

The Kyabram Scouts had a team of seven, including one representative from each Scout group and four adults who helped on the day.

Mrs Brumby said the children were “really excited” when a car would pull up with containers to contribute.

“Each Scout would count 50 containers at a time and tally them up.

“It’s really good for people to participate, get involved, and fundraise.

“And the community gets to see what the scouts do, so it was just a great day,” she said.

Thanks to community efforts, the Kyabram Scouts raised more than $500 for their forthcoming Jamboree in Queensland.

“Queensland is inaccessible for a lot of the families to send their kids along, so the money makes the Jamboree accessible to them,” Mrs Brumby said.

“I want to say thank you to the community for willing to donate a portion of their return to us,” she said.

The Blue Light group of five young people and two adults, including Senior Constable Mitchell Bull, collected around 12,730 containers from the community over a period of two and a half hours.

“We feel that there are a select number of businesses in Kyabram that support us and help youth organisations such as ourselves, but we feel that we shouldn’t always depend on them,” Senior Constable Bull said.

“This is a chance for us to do our own thing, and give an opportunity to young people to get involved with the community,” he said.

Senior Constable Bull said the donations produced by 10 cent containers totalled to over $1000, which will go towards funding the Kyabram Blue Light Gym.

Community groups eligible for fundraising can do so by securing a Donation Partner ID and filling out a registration form on the Victorian CDS website.