AFTER what was a very long and hot summer, Mount Hotham Dinner Plain CFA has been rewarded a very cool reprieve from the Brighter Days Foundation.
About a fortnight ago the Brighter Days Foundation made a $150,000 donation to the CFA’s Ovens Valley Group.
For the first time, the Brighter Days Foundation included the CFA in their donation pool which this year raised $600,000.
Brigades from Gapsted, Myrtleford, Buffalo River, Mudgegonga, Rosewhite, Ovens Eurobin, Porepunkah, Bright, Harrietville, Hotham and Dinner Plain and the group received more than $13,000 to assist in purchasing new equipment.
“This past fire season saw every one of our brigades engaged in protecting our community throughout the summer and pushing our resources and equipment to their limits,” group officer Micheal Freudenstein said.
“Apart from the volunteers in the firefighting effort, there are volunteers behind the scenes on communications, planning and logistics.
“Many of our volunteers had an extra long summer, volunteering to assist in New South Wales on strike teams prior to the fires in Victoria commencing.
“After the season we just had, we’ve lost and damaged equipment and this will be able to bring the brigades back up to full fighting strength for the next season.”
Vice president of the Brighter Days Foundation, Jason Reid, said it is an honour to be in a position to support local volunteer brigades right across the valley.
“It’s great to be able to give back to the CFA, especially after the year they had and all their hard work,” he said.
“This donation is something the whole community will benefit from - it really makes a difference.”
The Brighter Days Foundation has raised and donated $2 million since its inception in 2013.
