The Cooroy Rag celebrated another community grants program at a relaxed evening at Crackerjack on 10 September. The gathering honoured recipients of the 2025 Community Grants, which distributed $10,000 to local organisations making a difference in their communities.
The grants program represents the Cooroy Rag Community Newspaper’s commitment to reinvesting profits back into the community. Local organisations within the paper’s distribution area were eligible to receive between $500 and $2,500 to support their community work and future initiatives.
Ian Rollins, president of the volunteer-run Cooroy Rag Committee, expressed the organisation’s pride in supporting local groups. “We’ve been fortunate enough to donate some of the Cooroy Rag’s earnings back into the community. We selected a handful of wonderful organisations, many not-for-profits and community groups, to help them achieve their goals and move forward with their plans. Some of these
organisations have truly great initiatives, and we’re really thrilled to support them.” He added, “The grants program has been running for quite some time. The paper itself has taken on different shapes and sizes over the years, but giving back has always been an important part of what we do … it feels really good to be part of that legacy.”
Recipients thanked the Cooroy Rag committee for its practical and heartfelt support. “We’re so grateful to the Cooroy Rag for this generous donation,” Marie Rene, program director at Kanyini Connections Hoofbeats Sanctuary, said. “The funds will go toward building a shaded pergola area at Hoofbeats Sanctuary, creating a safe and welcoming space for both clients and volunteers. This addition will benefit around 100 people each year, giving them comfort and connection while they take part in our equine therapy programs. It means so much to have the community behind us in making things happen. Thank you.”
Doug Oaklands of the Cooroy Food Pantry said the grant of $2,000 would help keep the shelves full for those in need. “At the moment we’re almost emptying emptying the cupboards regularly. There’s a lot of pressure, but the community has been amazing with donations of food and support. This is the first time we’ve received a grant through the Cooroy Rag. When we started out, we needed help with advertising, and we came to Sarah [the operations manager] who was such a big help in setting up our advertising material, so we kept on coming back. And the support has grown from there.”
Richard Wallace from Little Seed Theatre Company (awarded $2,500), explained the significance for future productions. “Next year we have our decade of Shakespeare at the Lake, and we’d like to sell well over 1,000 tickets to that show. This grant means we will have not just the funds for the production but the recognition for what we do, which is really valuable.”
Other grants included Sunshine Butterflies, $2,500 for stage two of the Accessible Pathway Loop; Pomona Community House, $2,000 for essential programs and workshops; Cooroy Memorial Hall Association, $1,000 for centenary celebrations; Tall Trees Art, $700 to pay nine Indigenous youth performers; Kandanga Cemetery Association, $500 for website development; and Mary Valley Artslink, $500 for assistance with a new community venue.
The evening brought together community leaders, volunteers and recipients, celebrating the projects that strengthen local connections. The 2025 Cooroy Rag Community Grants program is a reminder of how much can be achieved when the
community invests in its own.