Whitsundays Receives $70,000

Proserpine State High School is one of eight Whitsunday recipients to benefit from a total of $70,000 in grants from Westpac Group’s Natural Disaster Recovery Fund.

The school received a cheque for $10,000 this week from Westpac’s Proserpine manager Jane Tissington.

The funds were used to repair and upgrade the school’s multi-purpose hall.

“With the upgrade of our facilities we have been able to accommodate the three dance schools in our region for their end of year concerts as well as other shows and performances that unfortunately the Proserpine Entertainment Centre could not house due to their cyclone damage,” said Nicole Jolley, Proserpine high’s senior school and industry liaison officer.

The grants were announced as part of Westpac’s participation in the Australian Business Roundtable for Disaster Resilience and Safer Communities Report.

The report revealed the total economic cost of natural disasters would reach nearly $39 billion per year by 2050.

It also detailed how more than nine million Australians have been impacted by a natural disaster or extreme weather event in the past 30 years.

The other grant recipients in the Whitsundays were:

Volunteer Marine Rescue Whitsunday Inc to repair and improve reliable communication across the Great Barrier Reef;

Queensland Police-Citizens Youth Welfare to restore the playground required for outside school hours and vacation care;

P & C Association, Bowen State Primary; Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre to assist in relieving financial pressure on local families;

Whitsunday Neighbourhood Centre to assist in relieving financial pressure on families;

Whitsunday Sailing Club to replace damaged safety and rescue boats;

C & K Queens Beach Community Kindergarten to rebuild their outdoor play area;

Amenity repairs to the Rowallen Park scouts.

Source: Whitsunday Times.