Benalla P-12 College Kokoda Trek co-ordinator Tegan Vogal (middle) and fellow teacher Cameron Holmes (left) were presented with a donation by Benalla RSL president Paul Hartland to support the Kokoda Trek program.
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Benalla RSL has handed over two donations to initiatives that each support local kids in a unique way.
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The Rotary Club’s Portsea camp program and Benalla P-12 College’s Kokoda Trek have both benefited from support by the club.
President Paul Hartland said the club had been supporting both programs for a while.
“We’ve been supporting them for years,” he said.
“They write to us every so often and we discuss it amongst the committee and say yay or nay, and look at our finances to see how much we can donate.”
The Portsea camp program is delivered by the Rotary Club in an effort to provide disadvantaged and vulnerable school children the opportunity to undertake youth, leadership and wellness programs.
The annual Making A Difference Camp offers a range of unique experiences for attendees, from outdoor adventures and team-building activities to quiet reflection and building peer connections.
In the past year, 450 kids attended the camp.
Rotary Club of Benalla president Dianne Murphy receives a donation from Benalla RSL Club president Paul Hartland for the Portsea camp initiative.
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Mr Hatland said the support for this initiative was a result of the club’s passion for aiding kids in the region.
“As far as the committee was concerned, it was a good idea to help (both programs) out,” he said.
“The Portsea camp is run by Rotary, and my understanding is that it’s for underprivileged children.
“It’s a week at a camp where kids can interact with each other, and there are people to talk to there.”
The Kokoda Trek project, which has been running for over 10 years, gives Year 11 and 12 students the opportunity to trek the Kokoda track in Papua New Guinea, walking in the footsteps of Australian soldiers who fought along it.
Mr Hartland said this was a valuable initiative that offered a unique educational experience for local students.
“The school’s Kokoda Trek is giving students an idea of what the soldiers went through during the Second World War,” he said.
“I think you have to let them know what happened, so the memory will never be lost.
“If you don’t, the younger generation won’t realise or know what happened.”
The Benalla RSL Club handed over the two donations at its general meeting on the evening of Monday, November 3.
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