Being more frugal to help othersMayor asking businesses to be more frugal with Corporate Christmas Dinners. By Latrobe City Council - 6th December 2000 - Back to News With Christmas just around the corner, Latrobe City Mayor, Cr Tony Hanning is asking businesses and their employees to be more frugal with Corporate Christmas Dinners.
“Now is the time to really help those most in need in our community. For most of us, Christmas is a time of great joy and family celebration and for the Corporate sector, an opportunity to celebrate the end of the year,” Cr Hanning said.
“For those most in need within our community, it is one of the most difficult times of year when limited financial resources are stretched and social support is most in demand.
“With this in mind, this year the Latrobe City Council and the Council’s Staff Association will be making every effort to assist those most in need.
“For as long as I have been involved with Local Government, there has been a Council Christmas Dinner. This year, we will not be having a Christmas Dinner. The Staff Association will be making up hampers to give away, with the contents provided by members of the Council’s staff and the money usually spent on a Dinner for Councillors and their families will be given to the Food Bank,” Cr Hanning added.
While that may be Council’s decision, we would like to invite others in the Corporate sector to consider doing likewise. Even if they simply reduce expenditure on their function and support the Food Bank and other agencies, they will be doing something to assist those in our community who cannot make ends meet,” Cr Hanning said.
“I hope it will get the ball rolling. Last year, our Staff produced hampers to give away, donating the contents such as food, toys and gifts from their own coffers. I’m encouraging our Councillors to join in that aspect of the program as well, but we had no difficulty in unanimously deciding to cancel our normal Christmas function and putting the money into assisting those who need it more.
“If other Corporate bodies could see their way to do likewise, our Community could share a Christmas without the anxiety many of us feel when there simply isn’t enough money to live up to the Christmas expectation.
“For some of us, it is a time of great joy and giving. For many, it is a time of thanksgiving and yet for too many of us, it is a time of great anxiety,” Cr Hanning concluded.
Photo: Cr Tony Hanning and Latrobe City Council staff get into the spirit of giving at Christmas time
Media Enquiries:
Cr. Tony Hanning, Mayor, Latrobe City
tel. 0417 373 577
Cr. Brendan Jenkins, Deputy Mayor, Latrobe City
tel. 0417 374 590
Ms. Penny Holloway, Chief Executive Officer,
tel. 5173 1401 or 0417 557 103
Jeremy Bein, Public Relations and Communications Officer,
tel. 5173 1468
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: latrobecity@gippslander.com
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