Aspiring Hawea gymnasts, young cricketers and a champion ‘trampoliner’ are among the beneficiaries of a funding boost from this year’s Contact EPIC Community Fund.
A total of five community projects have been selected by Contact Energy and LMS Events working with the Hawea Community Association to receive financial support from the fund.
Now in its second year, the fund, established by Contact Energy and LMS Events marks their commitment to support the EPIC until 2017, donating $5 each per entry for up to 1000 entries, or $5,000 each per year – and this year there was a little extra in the pool.
“We were able to give a total of $5,400 to support five strongly youth focused projects that might not otherwise be able to access funding with between $700 and $1500 each,” says Neil Gillespie, Project Manager, Generation and Development, Clyde Power Station. “So this is a really positive focus as young people are the future of the community.”
The successful applicants are:
For trampolining athlete Deia Wolfe, 11, the funding makes it possible for her family to cover the costs of her competing at the 2016 New Zealand Gymsports Championships.
“Deia’s worked so hard to qualify for this national event and without this funding we might have had to say no as it costs well over $3,000 with coaching and entry fees, travel, accommodation,” says Deia’s mother Kate. “We have three other children so this money really takes the pressure off.”
Contact EPIC Event Director Danielle Nicholson of LMS Events said it was a thrill to give back to the Hawea community, which gave so much to make the event a success.
“The Contact EPIC is an event that just keeps giving, and that’s largely thanks to its generous community. We see that can-do attitude reflected in the number of great community projects constantly underway out there, which we’re very thrilled to help out.”
Hawea Community Association chair Paul Cunningham said they were thrilled to see the funds going back into the community.
“It’s a tremendous contribution from Contact Energy and LMS Events,” says Paul. “We’re really pleased too this year to get in behind the new cricket pitch. We have a huge number of young people playing cricket in Hawea and so it’s fantastic to have this new pitch.”