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Aussie outback icon to speak at special Buderim Foundation evening

Published on: January 9, 2023Category: News

An original Aussie drover Roger Steele will be telling stories from his extraordinary years in the outback at a special Buderim Foundation evening on Friday 3^rd February.

Mr Steele, who began work as a 13-year-old on a Northern Territory cattle property and spent 17-years in the pastoral outback working his way up from ringer, drover, camp cook, and head stockman to station manager before becoming a Northern Territory Government Minister and Assistant Commissioner for World Expo ’88, has had an incredible life.

Buderim Foundation chair Rod McKinnon said it was not a surprise that with such an interesting working life, Roger has some incredible tales to tell.

“Whether outback life is completely different to your own experience or whether you have some fond memories of your own, Roger will paint a picture of outback life including the challenges of droving cattle for thousands of kilometres in often hazardous conditions, so we can’t wait for our Drover’s evening,” Rod McKinnon said.

Buderim Community Carols bringing the region together for Christmas

Published on: November 10, 2022Category: News

Buderim Community Carols heralds the beginning of Christmas celebrations and this year’s event on Sunday 11^th December is set to be better than ever.

BWMCA Carols organiser Andrew Butterworth said last year’s event attracted more than 3,000 people with families coming from across the Coast to celebrate together.

“This year’s entertainment is once again directed by local entertainment professional Riley Cope, and we are delighted that 7News Sunshine Coast’s Rosanna Natoli is once again joining us as MC.

“The evening will be full of opportunities to singalong with performances from the Buderim Mountain State School Choir, Sunshine Coast Youth Orchestra, Buderim Youth Theatre and the Elite Dance Institute,” Mr Butterworth said.

Peacekeeper and mine activist to present at special breakfast

Published on: September 30, 2022Category: News

Peacekeeper, ammunitions expert, martial artist, musician and one of the first-ever female graduates of Australia’s Royal Military College, Duntroon, Leonie Barnes will be the special guest speaker at a Buderim Foundation Breakfast in October.

Buderim Foundation Chair Dr Russell Stitz said Leonie’s presentation on her life stories, her values and philosophies was sure to be fascinating, with a lively Q&A session to follow the presentation.

Leonie, who is also the daughter of a crocodile shooter and has been a specialist Ammunition Technical Officer since the age of 22, will be presenting “M.I.N.E.D the Gap – if life is a minefield, what happens when real deminers do life?”.

Buderim Garden Festival to show of season’s best

Published on: September 28, 2022Category: News

The Buderim Garden Festival in October will showcase Buderim’s best gardens as well as including flower shows, displays, garden sculptures and more.

The annual Festival, proudly sponsored by Buderim Bendigo Bank and Manawee Garden Centre from October 21^st to 23^rd will include events as well as the very popular Open Gardens program, that offers exclusive access to some of the best gardens around Buderim.

The annual Festival comes as Buderim Garden Club was awarded the Eleanor McLeod Award from Garden Clubs Australia for outstanding service by an Affiliated Club to their local community.

Buderim Foundation awards almost $60,000 in Community Grants

Published on: September 10, 2022Category: News

The Buderim Foundation is today awarding almost $60,000 in grants to be shared by 14 community-based organisations, as part of its annual Community Grants Celebration.

The Buderim Foundation 2022 Grant recipients – photo by Cheryl Nonmus

Buderim Foundation Grants Committee Chair, Rebecca Ramsay said the Foundation was delighted to once again provide support to community organisations supporting the 4556 postcode area.

“The grants come from earnings made from the Foundation’s investment fund, so it is thanks to everyone’s donations and the hard work of our Investment Committee, that we are able to deliver the much-needed funding,” Rebecca said.

“This year we will be awarding 14 Community Grants with a total value of $59879.54.”

The special Grants Celebration will be held on Saturday 10^th September at the Buderim War Memorial Hall and is a Covid-Safe event.

“The Buderim Foundation concept is simple and has three key components. Money in, where donations and bequests are received, money managed, where these funds are carefully invested and then money out, with the income from the investments distributed as grants to organisations supporting the 4556 community,” Rebecca said.

This year is the 15^th year grants have been distributed. Since 2008, a total of $731,826 has been distributed to 90 community organisations supporting the 4556 postcode area.

Retired District Court Judge to share insights on youth crime

Published on: April 20, 2022Category: News

Retired District Court Judge and current chair of the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council, John Robertson will be the guest speaker at a very special Buderim Foundation Breakfast on Wednesday 11^th May.

Mr Robertson will be presenting “Sentencing Children – Myths and Remedies” at the breakfast, which will raise money for the Buderim Foundation’s investment fund. Earnings from the fund are given out in annual grants to organisations supporting the local community.

Buderim Foundation chair Dr Russell Stitz said Mr Robertson’s presentation was sure to be of interest to the local community and expected a lively question and answer session.

“At the Buderim Foundation we want to support the community and part of that is giving people the opportunity to consider important issues like youth justice, and to hear from experts like Mr Robertson, who bring a non-political, evidence-based approach to the issue,” Dr Stitz said.

Buderim Foundation Thompson Fund grants available for Sunshine Coast organisations helping those in need

Published on: April 4, 2022Category: News

Applications are now open for the 2022 Buderim Foundation Thompson Fund to assist eligible charity organisations that help those in need throughout the Sunshine Coast community.

Buderim Foundation Thompson Fund 2021 Grants – Susan Beaton(YouTurn), Rebecca Ramsay(BF), Fiona Browne,Jo Higgins(Lily House), Roy&Nola Thompson, Kathleen Hope(SunnyKids),Michele Lipner(OzHarvest), Dr Russell Stitz (BF),Tanya Bell (YouTurn) – photo by Ross Eason.

The Buderim Foundation became the trustee for the Thompson Charitable Trust in 2021 and this will be the second year the Foundation has offered grants from the fund.

Foundation Grants Committee chair, Rebecca Ramsay said Organisations that provide services for those unable to achieve a modest standard of living, were invited to assess their eligibility for the 2022 grants program from 4^th April 2022, with applications closing on 8^th May.

“In 2021, four organisations providing support to people experiencing homelessness and financial distress due to domestic violence and other circumstance on the Sunshine Coast, were awarded grants totalling $110,000 from the Buderim Foundation Thompson Fund,” Mrs Ramsay said.

BWMCA ready to celebrate 75th Anniversary 2 - photo by Reflected Image PR RPR1525

Buderim set for stellar BWMCA 75th Anniversary Celebrations

Published on: March 31, 2022Category: News

BUDERIM will be swinging back to the 1940s for a very special weekend of celebrations on the weekend of 27^th to 29^th May, to celebrate the 75^th anniversary of the Buderim War Memorial Community Association.

BWMCA ready to celebrate 75 years – Sunshine Coast Concert Band’s Gordon Parker, Deb Ansett & Georgiana Truman from 3bCreative, BWMCA president Errol Richarson & Tracy Reeves from 3bCreative

With celebrations delayed from 2020 due to COVID, BWMCA President Errol Richardson said everyone in the organisation was more than ready to celebrate.

Mr Richardson said the weekend would begin with a 1940s Musical Extravaganza Concert on Friday 27^th May, followed by a 1940s Big Band Dance on Saturday 28^thMay.

BWMCA's Teale Ring (left) with Buderim Foundation's Charilie Morris and Buderim Lions' Brian McBride (right) present cheque for vouchers to Mountain Creek chaplains Stuart Cran & Anthony Pulford

Buderim Foundation provides support to local families for school expenses

Published on: March 14, 2022Category: News

The Buderim Foundation is supporting local families with school expenses through the provision of $30,000 worth of $50 vouchers, to be distributed through schools and community organisations.

BWMCA’s Teale Ring (left) with Buderim Foundation’s Charlie Morris and Buderim Lions’ Brian McBride (right) present a cheque for vouchers to Mountain Creek chaplains Stuart Cran (MCSHS) & Anthony Pulford (MCSS) – photo by Cheryl Nomnus.

The 600 vouchers will be distributed through Buderim Mountain State School, Chancellor State College, Mountain Creek State Primary School, Mountain Creek State High School, Kuluin State School and SunnyKids, as part of the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) Back to School Program.

Buderim Foundation Director Rebecca Ramsay said this year is the 18^th year Buderim Foundation together with the FRRR had provided the much-needed assistance for school expenses such as clothing, shoes, and stationery.

Mrs Ramsay said this year the funds included an allocation from the FRRR of $20,000, as well as a further $5000 from the FRRR Matched Funding program which was matched to funds contributed by the BWMCA ($1000), Buderim Lions ($1500), and the Buderim Foundation’s Thompson Fund ($2500).

More than 5000 gather for Buderim Community Carols

Published on: December 13, 2021Category: News

More than 5000 people turned out to enjoy a very special Buderim Community Carols event last night.

The BWMCA event was extra special from the fantastic performances coordinated by Riley Cope Creative, to our dynamic MC Rosanna Natoli from 7News Sunshine Coast, and a visit by Santa himself.

Everyone had a great time at Buderim Village Park full of families enjoying the beginning of the Christmas season. There was also a Buderim Rotary Sausage Sizzle, as well as Fairy Floss from the Buderim Foundation and popcorn from the Buderim Mountain State School P&C.

The weather gods were kind with the rain holding off until the last Carol was sung, with time for people to get to their cars.

BWMCA Carols sub committee chair Andrew Butterworth wanted to thank everyone involved in making the event such a huge success.

Photos by Ross Eason.