Randwick City Council is considering an annual rise in rates of 2.71 per cent to renovate or build community facilities, including surf clubs that are falling apart. The state government allocates $1.7 million a year for surf clubs. There is a further $2 million that clubs may apply for. The rest of their funds come from councils, donations and memberships.
There is never enough money. This time there was $4.5 million worth of applications for the available $2 million,'' Mr Hanks said.
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/lifesavers-call-on-ratepayers-to-rescue-decaying-surf-clubs-20100227-pa3z.html
Well-Being Australia chairman, Mark Tronson, said that Matt Hanks' comment that "there is never enough money" equally applies to hundreds of other voluntary associations that value-add to the Australian community.
When he was living in Moruya (1992-2006), which is part of the Eurobodalla Shire on the NSW South Coast, he noticed a Council pamphlet which listed every community activity including the local churches.
"I was taken aback, I really had no idea how many community groups there are in any Shire, and they add so much extra value into the community," M V Tronson explained. "But they all had one thing in common: there was not enough money."
According to the 1982 book "The Sunburnt Soul" by Dr David Milikan of Melbourne the Christian Churches provide 82% of Australian welfare. Although this may vary slightly over time, as yet, it has not been disputed by any recent studies.
Many of the Christian community's welfare agencies (including hospitals and retirement facilities) get funding from various Government departments and win competitive grants following strict protocols, but again, there is never enough money.
Likewise, welfare groups from every small community house providing a place of respite for runaway children around the nation, to each Rural Bush Fire brigade, all have the one common denominator, "there is never enough money".
Fund raisers are second nature to so many of these organisations, some of whom have both salaried personnel and volunteers. Ultimately, it is because of volunteers that many of these groups survive.
Volunteers became the buzz word for the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the nature of the work that the volunteers provided was rewarded with a lunch-time celebration march in Sydney.
"Yes," says M V Tronson, "Volunteers are acknowledged in our society. These organisations could not do what they do, or provide what they are able to provide, without them."
This is one antidote to the cry of "never enough money." The Surf Clubs rely heavily on volunteers to provide a safe swimming environment for Australians and visitors alike. All the other community organisations – whether to do with churches or children (including public schools) or fire brigades or the elderly or any other community service – also rely on volunteers.
Interestingly, the Anzac's were volunteers.
Therefore, Mark Tronson encourages Australians to stay involved as volunteers.
If you are not a volunteer already, find a community group in which you feel comfortable and become another of this mighty army of Australians that 'value-add' to our community and give it strength.