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Stand Like Stone
The Limestone Coast's Community Foundation
Message from our CEO, Anne Kerr
Hello everyone and welcome to our first newsletter for 2021!
The team and I are looking forward to another year of supporting the people and charitable projects of the Limestone Coast.
So far 2021 has been off to a positive start, as we’ve offered over 40 scholarships to Limestone Coast students, and opened our annual $50,000 OneFortyOne Community Grants round.
Now into its eighth year, these grants have supported 24 projects across the region to date. We are delighted to announce that OneFortyOne are continuing their funding partnership with us for another 3 years.
The team are also busy with the FRRR Back to School and Wyatt Trust Stay at School Programs, both aimed at helping families and students across the region return to school with dignity and remain engaged in their learning.
We’ve featured one of our long-term sponsors, Noel Barr Toyota in this newsletter. It really is thanks to the generosity of wonderful community minded people and businesses, such as Noel Barr that we are able to continue serving the people of the Limestone Coast.
We’d also like to say thank you to everyone who has supported, sponsored, donated, volunteered their time, and applied for grants and scholarships. You’ve helped us make a real and meaningful difference in our Limestone Coast communities, and we couldn’t do it without you.
As always, our newsletter gives us the opportunity to share stories of kindness and courage from our region. I hope wherever you are reading it, you, and the people you care about are safe and well.
Limestone Coast students provided with a funding boost for study in 2021
We were delighted to offer over 40 scholarships to students right across the Limestone Coast to help with the costs of study in 2021.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we’re thrilled to be able to continue supporting local students in a variety of ways, from primary school music lessons through to accommodation fees for university.
One of this year’s successful recipients is Penola High School student Phillip Davis whose application embodied the very essence of Stand Like Stone, inspiring courage and kindness during troubles.
Phillip has faced, and continues to face, many personal challenges, but he has never once given up on his learning, and now dreams of being a park ranger.
Described by his teachers as being passionate about nature and the wellbeing of others, they believe his personal experiences have strengthened him and his empathetic backbone.
The scholarship from Stand Like Stone will provide Phillip with financial support for his schoolwork, as well as help with transport costs for his upcoming park ranger work experience.
"Our scholarships are all about giving local students the opportunity to thrive so that they, in turn, can make great contributions to our region in the future,” said CEO Anne Kerr.
$50,000 budget boost available for community projects
A total of $50,000 in project funding is available for local not-for-profit groups with community focused ideas in need of a budget boost.
The OneFortyOne Community Grants Program is available to support projects that address a range of areas such as environment, mental health, education, and food security, as well as arts and cultural events.
We know that community organisations are the lifeblood of the Limestone Coast and the grants are designed to give groups the boost they may need to make great things happen.
“We are looking forward to receiving grant applications from community groups and not-for-profit organisations to deliver some really meaningful projects,” CEO Anne Kerr said.
“Our region is filled with determined, inspiring and resilient people and we’re excited to be able to support their great ideas.”
Now into its eighth year, the grants have supported 24 projects across the region from installing new fire protection equipment at Padthaway Primary School, to supplying waterproof wheelchairs at Boandik Lodge, to helping Robe Men’s Shed build a space to call their own.
OneFortyOne Jubilee Sawmill General Manager Paul Hartung said the grants are designed to give back to the community.
“We work and live in the Limestone Coast and it’s important to us that the community is supported and that it’s a thriving place to be,” Paul said.
Applications are open now for grants $5,000 - $20,000 and close at 5pm on 31st March 2021.
Programs helping students across the Limestone Coast - Back to School and Stay at School
We’ve been part of the FRRR (Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal) Back to School program since 2005, helping students and their families who are experiencing disadvantage with the costs of going back to school.
The program provides schools with $50 vouchers that can be used for items such as school uniforms, clothing, shoes, school bags and stationery items. This year we’re distributing 640 vouchers to 40 schools across each of the 7 council areas of the Limestone Coast thanks to funding from FRRR as well as donations from the public.
The Stay at School program is made possible thanks to $20,000 in funding from the Wyatt Trust. The program helps independent learning students in Naracoorte and Mount Gambier with a gift up to $500.
Many of these students aren’t able to live at home, don’t have stable accommodation and find it hard to obtain work because they haven’t finished Year 12. These students can use this gift to help with the costs of studying and finish Year 12.
Support our Supporters
Noel Barr has been a long-term supporter of the Stand Like Stone Foundation, as well as a passionate supporter of many local community groups and causes in the Limestone Coast. From humble beginnings, Noel worked hard to build his own successful car dealership business. Along the way he met many community minded people who inspired him to look for ways to give back to his community, including our late Patron, Mr Ray Scott.
By sponsoring Stand Like Stone, Noel and his team at Noel Barr Toyota continue to make a real and meaningful difference in a community they love. They help us to help local students and families return to school with dignity, to help local students realise their dreams, to help local volunteers and not-for-profit groups find ways to help more people in their communities.
Noel Barr Toyota also provides important sponsorship to one of our sub funds, the Steven Noble Memorial Sub Fund. By taking care of all the servicing needs of the Steven Noble Community Bus, the NBT team are helping support, and keep safe, community members from Port MacDonnell, Allendale East and Kongorong.
On behalf of the team at Stand Like Stone we would like to say a big thank you to Noel and his team for supporting our community.
Our generous sponsors and supporters
