By RUSSELL BENNETT
IT’S no co-incidence that three of the most community-minded organisations in Pakenham are involved in the latest initiative to help those less fortunate.
The Pakenham Bendigo Bank and Ritchies IGA Pakenham have banded together for tinned soup drive in aid of the 4Cs (Cardinia Combined Churches Caring) and their clientele.
The Bendigo Bank is involved in a soup drive each year in the cooler months, and this year the IGA decided to jump on board by donating a number of cartons containing more than 100 cans altogether.
And many of those have been donated by IGA employees, themselves.
“We try to get involved as much as we can with the community,” said Ritchies IGA duty manager Doug Gold.
“For us it’s not a big deal, but every little bit counts. It’s not like it’s a huge amount of cash out of the pocket from everyone – it’s just bits and pieces here and there.
“We’ve had a number of different staff members jump in – I’ve put in four cases and some of the other staff members have put in one or two as well.”
In addition, the Bendigo Bank branch is also accepting donations – from both its employees and customers.
“These guys have been good enough to put their hands in their own pockets and I think that deserves to be recognised,” said Pakenham Bendigo Bank branch manager Norm Davidson.
The operations manager of the 4Cs, Abiola Ajetomobi, told the Gazette: “We’ve had quite a long history with the Bendigo Bank.
“They’re a community-oriented bank so that makes us work really well together.
“We all try and support the community as much as we can so this drive would help to support the people who are struggling or disadvantaged, or finding things difficult.”
Pakenham Bendigo Bank is accepting donations until the end of the month.
“The 4Cs resonates with the whole local community, really,” Mr Davidson added.
“I think the fact that it’s really imbedded into the community itself leads people to buy into it more and want to really get involved.”
The mission of 4Cs Crisis Relief Centres is “to minister honour, generosity and hope through the practical and Christ-like provision of practical aid to the crisis torn, the poor and the marginalised of our community”.
The 4Cs helps over 200 families per day – around 40,000 individuals who would make approximately 270,000 visits.
For more information on the 4Cs and the services they provide, visit www.the4cs.org.au
