Charlotte Varcoe
BUSINESSES from across Mount Gambier/Berrin are encouraged to dig deep and support local events.
It comes following the annual Lakes Rotary Blue Lake Fun Run struggles to find a naming sponsor for its 2024 event.
Previously, OneFortyOne Plantations had taken on the title as naming sponsor for the mammoth fitness event with the official contract ending this year.
Despite this, the annual Fun Run event will be going ahead in November with chairperson Mark Praolini stating the forestry company has been a fantastic support.
“OneFortyOne has been a fantastic support, they have been our naming sponsor for five or six years in a row which has been absolutely brilliant,” Mr Praolini said.
“They have decided they will put their support elsewhere which is absolutely understandable after such a great commitment.”
He said due to this, the Fun Run was now without a naming sponsor but still had a number of new sponsors come on board.
“We have got the gold and silver sponsors but we are needing naming sponsors,” Mr Praolini said.
“That is the large one and it is difficult to get on board at this stage but we will keep trying.”
He said not having a major sponsor put a “dent” in the funding with the committee determined to keep the event going.
“Next year we will have to reappraise it but I think we are at the stage now where we have just got to go ahead with it,” Mr Praolini said.
“We are still trying but we are going to open for registration around mid-September which is two and a bit months before the event and a bit later than I would have hoped.”
He said the committee has since approached a number of other businesses for naming sponsorships and major sponsorships and was awaiting confirmation.
“The impact of not having sponsorship will have an impact on the cost of the future and we are trying to keep the costs the same as last year but it will also have an impact on what we can do out in the community,” Mr Praolini said.
“We give away about $15,000 or $16,000 each year in sponsorship just from the Blue Lake Fun Run which we announce on the day.”
He said with no major sponsors he was concerned about the impact it would have on the community, stating the committee could not give what it did not have.
“The Blue Lake Fun Run is a great event because you get all the community coming together for a great community day,” he said.
“It promotes health and fitness for people who basically do not do any walking, they can go out and walk on the day and then people can start challenges themselves.”
Mr Praolini said he was not concerned about the future of the fitness fundraiser but not having major sponsors did make it more difficult to host.
He said the committee had managed to keep registration costs at a minimum due to having accurate sponsors and encouraged the community to jump on board.
“It is a great community event and as a whole since I have been involved, I think it is working and has been fantastic,” Mr Praolini said.
“OneFortyOne has come in and supported it with quite a deal of money and I think that is great and I am really pleased with the way they stand.”
He said the committee appreciated the impacts sponsorship may cause for businesses but also emphasised the fitness and positive impact the Fun Run had on the community.
Other community committees also expressed difficulty in securing accurate sponsorship with the newly formed Mount Gambier New Years Eve committee also struggling for a major sponsor just four months out from the event.
Chairperson Ross Moir said he believed Mount Gambier/Berrin businesses still valued local events and were contributing what they could.
“Many are struggling in the current economic situation,” Mr Moir said.
“Some businesses have chosen to donate prizes for fundraising events or offered in-kind supplies to help reduce our costs, which we greatly appreciate.
“For us, community sponsorship is vital to ringing in the New Year with fireworks and entertaining attendees.”
Mr Moir said the committee valued the support it had already received and without that support, events would cease.
“It is tough, especially for a committee learning by doing, but I doubt we are the only committee trying new things this year,” he said.
OneFortyOne corporate affairs manager Charlene Riley said the company had been an avid supporter of community events for more than a decade, including the Blue Lake Fun Run since 2017.
“We feel it is time that another organisation come on as a partner for the Fun Run event and have worked with the organisers on a strategy for implementing this,” Ms Riley said.
“Through our PINE Community Grants Program, we strive to ensure that the support we provide is shared and equitable across a wide range of community initiatives.
“We receive a large number of applications to the program each month, so are aware that there is a need in our communities.”
She said when organisations came together to support community events, the collective efforts led to more vibrant, inclusive and successful events for everyone.
