Benjamin Millar
Grassroots sporting clubs have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, with sponsorship evaporating and fundraising all but stopped in its tracks.
But a $10,000 community grant from developer AVID Property Group is helping Diggers Rest Football and Netball Club bounce back from the worst of the impact.
Club president Ben Morse said ongoing funding and support from AVID over the past seven years has helped the club plan for the future with confidence despite the challenging operating environment.
“It has been a rough road for community sporting clubs and finding funding and sponsorship has never been more difficult, so the ongoing support from AVID has been amazing,” he said.
“Having this community grant has enabled us to maintain the significant costs involved with running a community sporting club.”
Mr Morse said the generous contribution from AVID takes an enormous amount of pressure off the club’s committees during a difficult time.
“It really is a year of consolidation for the club coming out of COVID, so the funding from AVID will be used to support the entire club including netball and football at both senior and junior levels,” he said.
The club will put the funds towards new training equipment and uniforms, helping reduce operating expenses and keep membership costs as low as possible.
“Despite challenging times, our club is growing rapidly, which indicates that everyone is very excited to be back around the club environment,” Mr Morse said.
“It is still early, but we have seen a positive response from members and supporters in terms of match day attendance since we’ve returned, we are feeling confident about the future of the club.”
AVID’s general manager for Victoria, Peter Vlitas, said the team at AVID’s Bloomdale community in Diggers Rest was proud to continue their support for the club during such a crucial time.
“We know that participating in community sport and being part of a local club is very rewarding and provides a great social outlet for players and volunteers alike,” he said.
“These clubs contribute to the physical and mental health of their members and bring people together − that’s something that we feel is worth supporting.”
