By Margaret Maccoll
Sunshine Butterflies Disability Support Service is about two-thirds its way to financing its $150,000 Family Central facility with a boost of $16,362 delivered from the Federal Government on Friday.
Sunshine Butterflies CEO Leanne Walsh said the organisation needed about another $50,000-60,000 after receiving funds from various groups including Noosa Council and Bendigo Bank.
Leanne said the Family Central building would house a space where children can receive services such as those from therapists and paediatricians and families can access resources “to figure their way around the disability world”.
Leanne said with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) being rolled out around September Sunshine Butterflies would be offering a free service to help families in their adoption of it.
“We want to help families to embrace it and think what a good life is for their sons or daughters,” she said.
Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Club and QF5 Noosa Coast Guard also received Federal Government funding under the Stronger Communities Programme (SCP) last week, delivered in person by Wide Bay MP Llew O’Brien.
The Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Club received $10,313 towards the purchase of a new All Terrain Vehicle to assist with mobile patrols to North Sunshine, Alexandria Bay in Noosa National Park and Sunrise Beaches.
“The dedicated life savers at Sunshine Beach SLSC cover a large area, which can reach up to five kilometres from the club house, so the new ATV will enable them to travel further, faster, and respond to emergency calls more quickly,” Mr O’Brien said.
A further $3181 was given to QF5 Noosa Coast Guard for five new computers, cabinets and software to enable training for volunteers and the community, including first aid, basic seamanship, bar crossing, collision avoidance, and safety at sea.
“I’m pleased the Coalition Government has been able to extend this practical assistance to these organisations, which through the work of their volunteers, make an enormous difference in the lives of so many people,” Mr O’Brien said.
For more information on the SCP visit www.infrastructure.gov.au/SCP.
