The Goulburn Murray Community Leadership alumni group has launched a new initiative, named Crazy Socks for a Fairley Good Cause.
While the socks might be crazy, the idea behind it makes perfect sense.
GMCL would like to see community members, businesses and alumni join in by wearing their bright and fun socks and sharing their photos to raise awareness for the Fairley Leadership Program Scholarship.
The group says it is a fun and simple way to bring visibility to the scholarship while bringing the community together, which is the essence of GMCL.
“This scholarship will support a participant in the flagship Fairley Leadership Program, which is entering its 30th year and will run from March to October in 2026,” GMCL alumni subcommittee chair Sarmed Yassin said.
“Sponsoring a participant is a direct investment in community leadership; it gives someone the opportunity to grow, contribute and create real impact across the Goulburn Murray.”
The online fundraising campaign began on December 8 and can be followed on GMCL social media channels.
The subcommittee is also inviting businesses, community organisations, councils and philanthropic supporters to consider sponsoring a participant for the 2025 Fairley Leadership Program.
The GMCL alumni group held its end-of-year networking event last Wednesday, where past participants of the Fairley Leadership Program came together to reconnect, share ideas and celebrate local leaders’ contributions across the region.
Announcements about future events, new collaborations with local organisations and community focused initiatives planned for 2026 were also canvassed at the catch-up.
“Our alumni community is full of people with incredible skills and experience across so many industries,” Mr Yassin said.
“We are excited to host more events next year, many in collaboration with partner organisations, to create spaces where ideas, leadership and community impact can flourish.”
A full calendar of alumni events will be released early next year, including networking opportunities, learning sessions, a gala event and several collaborative initiatives delivered in partnership with local organisations.
Community members who want to support emerging leaders can contribute to the Fairley Leadership Program Scholarship through the online donation box at tinyurl.com/4ap4raf7.