A COLOURFUL mural has been splashed onto the Gordon Education Centre’s blank courtyard fence thanks to a Lions Club of Gambier City and Bunnings Mount Gambier fundraising partnership.
The project was awarded the Premier’s Community Service social inclusion award at last month’s Service Clubs Association of SA Community Service Awards.
Lions Club past president Mike Tuohy OAM said the project provided an opportunity for older students to become more involved in the community by operating barbecues at Bunnings Mount Gambier.
“I think everybody gets a great satisfaction watching the kids and helping people,” Mr Tuohy said.
“It all began with my 19-year-old grandson who was previously a student at the school.
“We began our involvement with the school over seven years ago through Christmas parties and it grew from there.”
Operating for two years, senior school teacher Linda Marano said the project had helped students develop a variety of skills.
“I think it all comes down to students becoming active members in the community,” Ms Marano said.
“They have developed responsibility and confidence in talking to strangers and asking questions, how to effectively communicate with the public.
“It has also helped develop their math skills and it ties in well with our numeracy program with them exchanging and handling money.”
Ms Marano said some of these skills were “huge” for the students.
With revenue for the barbecues donated to the education facility, Ms Marano said funding had a significant impact on the school grounds.
“In the past, we have used the money to buy equipment for the junior primary school including swings, mini trampolines and a greenhouse which housed our carnivorous plants,” she said.
“Earlier this year, we were beginning our Year 12 Research Project and were looking at something we could focus on.
“From a previous art project I ran and through discussions with artist Jo Fife, we came up with the rainbow serpent idea.”
With help from Allendale East Area School art teacher April Hague, the fence adjacent to Pangula Mannamurna has been transformed with a large painting of a rainbow serpent.
Ms Marano said the students would continue to develop the mural.
“We have looked at Dreamtime stories including the rainbow serpent and it evolved from there,” she said.
“The kids drew their own drawings on what they would like included on the mural, which will be included in the next stage.
“This is the Year 12s of 2019’s work and it will be there for a long time.”
Ms Marano thanked Bunnings Mount Gambier and Lions Club of Gambier City for their support.
“Part of the money was used to buy paints and equipment for our mural,” she said.
“We raised more revenue than we ever expected, with Bunnings donating the icing on the cake with extra vouchers.”
Bunnings Mount Gambier activity organiser Michelle Young said she was honoured to be involved in the project and customers always commented on how nice it was to see students helping.
Mr Tuohy said he hoped other Lions clubs around the region will see this initiative and would adopt similar strategies.
