FORESTRY estate owner OneFortyOne Plantations – together with its contract partners – has boosted the Mount Gambier Community RSL’s community fundraising tally.
The OneSafeGroup has handed over $1000 to the financially embattled RSL after winning the money as part of a national forestry innovation safety award.
RSL president Bob Sandow was presented the money during a meeting of OneSafeGroup recently, which was attended by a string of harvesting and haulage contractors.
Mr Sandow told the group the RSL was thankful for the support flowing from the community.
Explaining the future of the RSL was still hanging in the balance, he said the support from the community had been vital.
“The community has been very good to us because they don’t want to see the RSL fold,” Mr Sandow said.
“It is going to take some hard doing, but we think we will get there – if we survive the next year, we will be okay … we will pull through.”
He revealed the organisation was still trying to work through the government’s offer of a $200,000 low interest loan.
Moreover, Mr Sandow said the organisation wanted to spread the message of what it was about.
“I think most people know we have been there for 100 years, we are the oldest RSL in the state and the only one opened seven days a week,” he said.
“We do want to be here for another 100 years, but it is going to take some doing.”
He said the organisation – which employed 36 people – wanted to stay open in the long term.
“The easiest thing for us to do will put our people off and just open Friday and Saturday, but we don’t want to do that,” Mr Sandow said.
He said the organisation had been awarded the best RSL in the state for the high standard of its facilities, as well as its service to community and war veterans.
