Bankstown RSL

Bankstown RSL & The Salvation Army

At Bankstown RSL, social inclusion is more than a value—it is a commitment lived daily. Nowhere is this more evident than in its long-standing and deeply human partnership with The Salvation Army, supporting vulnerable individuals and families through compassion, consistency and genuine care.
Each week, the Club supports the Salvos’ Feeding the Hungry Café, a vital community program providing free hot meals, dignity and connection to people experiencing financial hardship or homelessness. Beyond financial assistance, Bankstown RSL staff and volunteers regularly lend their hands in meal preparation and service, ensuring every guest feels welcome, respected and supported.
During the festive season, the Club amplifies its impact by co‑hosting a Community Christmas Lunch, bringing joy, music, gifts and a sense of belonging to more than 100 guests who may otherwise spend the holiday alone. The Club also donates hundreds of Christmas hams for inclusion in emergency food hampers, helping local families share in a celebratory meal.
This partnership reflects a shared mission: to uplift, support and restore hope. Through year‑round generosity and heartfelt action, Bankstown RSL exemplifies what it means to be the heart of the community.

Bankstown Sports

Houda Hamze ― Football & Family

Bankstown Sports Club has proudly nominated Houda Hamze for the Heart of the Community Award, recognising her extraordinary 11‑year contribution to Bankstown Sports Stars Football Club. Houda has served as secretary, events coordinator, canteen manager and female football coordinator — but her greatest impact has been creating a culture of inclusion, compassion and opportunity.
Houda has championed access for children of all abilities and backgrounds. Her support for a young boy with Down syndrome — completing paperwork, securing approvals and registering him for free — enabled him to play his first-ever game of football. His parents described the experience as “true inclusion … not just words, but actions"", and shared the profound moment he was gifted the club’s coveted No.7 jersey. Houda has also welcomed players with cochlear implants, ensuring they felt confident, supported and safe.
Her leadership extends beyond inclusion. Houda helped form the club’s first Under 12 girls’ team, leading them to grand final appearances and sparking the growth of girls’ football across all age groups. She also established the club’s partnership with Foster Care FC and led fundraising efforts such as “Play in Purple” for pancreatic cancer support.
Houda’s impact is not measured in trophies, but in the lives she has changed, the opportunities she has created and the community she continues to strengthen.

Workers Lifestyle Group

A Humble Man, an Angel Among Us

Harold Becker is the quiet hero at the heart of Blacktown Workers Club — a gentle, selfless man who has spent decades bringing comfort, dignity and connection to some of the most vulnerable people in our community. A member since 1971 and a staff member from 1998 to 2011, Harold stepped into the welfare officer role without hesitation when it was needed most, continuing the Becker family’s long legacy of service.
Harold conducts more than 200 welfare visits and attends over 100 funerals each year, supporting members in hospitals, aged‑care homes, private residences and palliative care. For many who have no family, Harold is their only visitor — a warm presence who listens, reassures and ensures no one faces illness, grief or loneliness alone. He is also a guiding force for families navigating dementia, helping them access support and community connection.
Even after surviving a life‑threatening cardiac event in 2025, Harold returned to his role with renewed purpose, balancing his responsibilities as a carer for his wife with unwavering service to others.
Harold Becker is the embodiment of compassion and humility — a man who seeks no recognition, yet gives more than anyone could ask. He is, truly, the heart of the community.

Cabravale Club Resort

Investing in Community, For Generations

In 2025, Cabravale Club Resort reaffirmed its role as the heart of its community as it marked 100 years of service. Founded by returned servicemen in 1925, the Club exists to bring people together and support wellbeing across generations.
Through Cabravale Community, the Club contributed more than $1.75 million in the past year to initiatives supporting youth wellbeing, culturally diverse communities, veterans and families in need.
In December, the Club granted a special wish for five-year-old Gabriella, a medical miracle who spent her first year of life in hospital. Gabriella’s wish was to stay at a hotel and enjoy yum cha with her family. The Club hosted Gabriella and her family at Novotel Sydney Cabramatta, giving them rare, precious time together after years of separation. The story aired nationally on A Current Affair.
Alongside long-term partnerships such as Australian Unity’s Multicultural Respite Network and The Sebastian Foundation, this moment reflects the Club’s deepest purpose — caring for community in ways that truly matter.

Catalina Country Club

The Perfect Place for Community

When catastrophic bushfires struck Batemans Bay on 31 December 2019, Catalina Club became an essential refuge for almost 300 locals as fires jumped the Princes Highway and overwhelmed formal evacuation centres. Management made the immediate decision to open the Club’s doors, sheltering displaced families for days and, in some cases, weeks. This crisis response remains one of many moments that demonstrate why Catalina Club has stood at the heart of its community for more than 100 years.
In 2025, the Club strengthened this legacy through extensive community engagement, hosting seven major charity golf days and raising tens of thousands of dollars for groups including Lions, Legacy and local emergency services. The Lady Golfers’ annual “Tee Off for Breast Cancer Trials” raised $5,750, while Veteran Golfers’ Community Benefit Day supported Headspace Batemans Bay and the South Coast Community Kitchen. Catalina Club also deepened its support for grassroots sport, providing $30,000 to six local sporting clubs, assisting four young female athletes to compete internationally and supporting new partnerships across AFL, soccer, cricket and rugby.
In partnership with Southern Women’s Group, Catalina’s “Make A Wish” appeal raised $2,500 in gift cards for families facing domestic violence during the festive season.
With more than a century of service, Catalina Club continues to be a place of safety, celebration and connection — a community anchor in both crisis and everyday life.

Club Marconi

Dignity and Empowerment, Honouring a Legacy

Club Marconi proudly supports the Share the Dignity initiative in honour of much‑loved staff member Melannie Neil, who dedicated 16 years to the Club before her passing in 2022. Supporting this charity keeps Melannie’s spirit of kindness alive, ensuring her commitment to compassion continues to uplift women and families in need.
Each year, Club Marconi staff and volunteers gather essential female hygiene products to create adult, teen and mum‑and‑bub care bags, providing vital support to vulnerable women during the Christmas season. Team members donate items, assemble the packs and deliver them to local distribution hubs, ensuring they reach those who need them most.
The initiative has been embraced across the Club’s associations, with the ladies’ bocce and carpet bowls groups actively contributing. Their involvement reflects the wider community’s commitment to dignity, generosity and support beyond the sporting field.
By honouring Melannie’s legacy in such a meaningful way, Club Marconi demonstrates the strength of collective giving. Through this ongoing initiative, the Club continues to empower women, restore dignity and make a lasting impact across the community.

Club Taree

Club Taree Community Challenge

In February 2025, Club Taree launched the inaugural Club Taree Community Challenge, an initiative that has already been described as industry‑leading and iconic. In its very first year, the Challenge raised an extraordinary $271,613, making it the most successful community initiative in Club Taree’s history.
Built on more than a decade of strong community engagement — including the renowned Le Tour de Taree — the Challenge was designed to capture the heart of the Manning Valley through events, fundraising, advocacy and storytelling. The result was unprecedented support from businesses, sponsors, members and the wider community.
The 2025 Challenge raised funds for three beneficiaries: the Mid Coast Domestic Violence Monitoring Committee, the Cancer Council and the soon‑to‑launch Club Taree Foundation. This multi‑beneficiary model expanded the initiative’s reach and impact across the region.
Sell‑out events, including the “world‑famous” Trivia Night ($58,000 raised) and the Black Tie Gala (sold out in 24 hours), showcased the community’s enthusiasm and belief in the Challenge’s purpose.
More than a fundraiser, the Club Taree Community Challenge has become a unifying force — proving that connection builds community and setting the foundation for an even stronger 2026 campaign.

Club Taree

Paul Allan - A Passionately Purposeful Leader

Paul Allan, CEO of Club Taree, has become one of regional NSW’s most respected community leaders — a champion of compassion, connection and service. Over the past 12 years, Paul has inspired his team to raise more than $1.7 million (outside ClubGRANTS) and contribute 21,000+ volunteer hours to the Manning Valley. Yet his greatest impact has come not from statistics, but from the humanity he brings to every moment.
Paul’s leadership during a one‑in‑500‑year flood in May 2025 defined what it means to serve. As Club Taree became an Evacuation Centre for nearly 800 people, Paul worked around the clock — evacuating nursing homes, comforting evacuees, feeding and supporting displaced families, coordinating media and logistics, and personally escorting people home to face the devastation with dignity and strength.
His influence extends far beyond Taree. In 2025, Paul addressed national and international conferences, inspiring clubs across Australia and New Zealand to deepen their community impact. Under his leadership, the Club Taree Community Challenge raised an unprecedented $271,613, and his industry‑leading Mental Health Challenge continues to transform staff wellbeing.
Paul Allan is more than a CEO — he is a catalyst for connection, a mentor and a powerful force for good in his community and beyond.

Dee Why RSL

50 Years of Service at DYRSL

Dee Why RSL has proudly celebrated a remarkable milestone: 50 years of service from two cherished team members, Omer Reskov and Marilyn Whitney. Since 1975, Omer and Marilyn have embodied the Club’s values through loyalty, warmth and genuine care, helping shape the welcoming community culture that defines Dee Why RSL today.
Omer’s journey from kitchen hand to trusted gaming room bartender reflects five decades of hard work, adaptability and devotion. He has watched the Club transform from a small suburban venue into a vibrant community hub, all while building lifelong friendships and serving generations of members.
Marilyn began in the Club’s internal cleaning team before moving into bartending and later gaming operations. For her, Dee Why RSL has always been “like having two families”. Her commitment, versatility and passion for inclusivity have made her a beloved presence among staff and patrons alike.
Together, Omer and Marilyn represent the very best of Dee Why RSL — stability, camaraderie, respect and genuine community connection. Their service is not only a milestone, but a legacy that continues to inspire future generations of staff and members.

DOOLEYS Lidcombe Catholic Club

Clubs For Community - United Against Violence

Established in 2024, the Clubs for Community DFV Committee has quickly become a unifying force across the NSW club industry, responding to the urgent need for coordinated leadership in domestic and family violence (DFV) prevention. What began as a small working group has grown into a network of more than 70 members representing over 50 clubs, supported by sector partners and lived‑experience advocates. The Committee now serves as a central hub for information, collaboration and practical guidance for clubs committed to safer communities.
The Committee meets regularly, drawing on expertise from organisations including Domestic Violence NSW, Re-Love, Women’s Housing Company and Women’s Justice Network. Its formal launch in May 2025, sponsored by Bankstown Sports Club, raised $20,000 for Barnardos Australia and Women’s Community Shelters—both of which now sit on the Committee.
Major industry investment has accelerated its impact: DOOLEYS has contributed $10,000 toward a dedicated website, while Campsie RSL has committed $250,000 per year for three years to establish Safe Spaces, a first‑of‑its‑kind DFV training program delivered through Learning for Good.
With formal governance, specialist subcommittees and growing national reach, the DFV Committee demonstrates how clubs can move collectively, responsibly and powerfully to support vulnerable communities and strengthen industry capability.

Easts Leagues

Stronger Together. Supporting our Community.

Easts Group, together with the Sydney Roosters, continued to deliver extraordinary community impact in 2025, generating more than $290 million in socio‑economic value and supporting over 51,000 individuals across western Sydney and beyond. With a purpose grounded in strengthening community wellbeing, the Group invested in grassroots sport, youth pathways, homelessness services, veterans’ recognition, multicultural inclusion, disability advocacy, sustainability and emergency services support.
In 2025, Easts staff and partners proudly supported a wide range of initiatives, including the RMHC Walk Me Home event, International Women’s Day activities with St Vincent de Paul, and major veterans and emergency services recognition events. The Group also deepened its commitment to homelessness support, volunteering with the Vinnies Van program and helping generate more than $326,000 in donations through the Roosters’ Community Corner.
Easts Group played a key role in launching the inaugural Gadhu Gathering, a three‑day celebration of Indigenous culture during the NRL Indigenous Round, and continued supporting local youth through careers expos and long‑standing partnerships with organisations such as the Ted Noffs Foundation, now in its 25th year.
Easts is more than a sporting and hospitality organisation — it is a community institution dedicated to building stronger, healthier and more connected communities.

Holman Barnes Group West Ashfield

Kitchen: The Heart of the Home

Holman Barnes Group, through Wests Ashfield, has been a devoted partner of The Infants’ Home for more than 60 years — one of the longest community partnerships in the club industry. Since its first in‑kind donation in 1959 and first monetary gift in 1960 of £12, the Club has continued to support this historic charity, which for 150 years has provided early childhood education, early intervention and allied health services to vulnerable children aged 0–5.
Most recently, Wests Ashfield played a transformative role in the creation and daily operation of a purpose‑built commercial kitchen on the heritage-listed campus. The Club funds and employs a full-time chef and kitchen hand who prepare fresh, nutritious meals for up to 300 children every day, many with complex medical, developmental or dietary needs. Each meal is tailored with dignity and inclusion in mind — ensuring children requiring modified diets are never singled out.
This hands‑on support extends to equipment, ingredients, staffing and a thriving kitchen garden that strengthens food education and wellbeing outcomes.
Wests Ashfield’s long-term commitment demonstrates a rare model of sustained, operational community partnership — one that brings The Infants' Home philosophy of “Every Child, Every Opportunity” to life, every single day.

Inverell East Bowling Club

Jammin on the Green

This year marked the second edition of Jammin on the Green, Inverell Sporties’ signature charity event supporting local families facing serious illness. What began as a grassroots idea in 2025 has grown into a powerful community tradition — one filled with music, generosity and heartfelt purpose.
In 2026, more than 700 people filled the Sporties’ ""Party Green"", transformed with 17 marquees and immaculate preparation from the Club’s greenkeeper. Five local performers set the tone before the headline act, Lisa Hunt & Band, lit up the stage.
The community’s generosity was on full display through the ever‑popular Yabbie Races, raising just under $11,000, and a major auction supported by local businesses. Early totals confirmed more than $25,000 was raised — funds that will go directly to families needing a helping hand, including those who have endured heartbreaking loss.
Inverell Sporties proudly powered the event by donating the venue, BBQ supplies, merchandise, major entertainment costs and items for auctions and raffles. Organised by a small but passionate committee of five, Jammin on the Green is a testament to what a united community can achieve.

Laurieton United Services Club & Kew Country Club

Dean Noble: Supporting Our Most Vulnerable

For almost a decade, Camden Haven Community at 3 has provided weekly free BBQ meals for people experiencing homelessness, hardship, illness and isolation. In January 2025, when the charity relocated its long‑running event to Kew Country Club, operations manager Dean Noble immediately made it clear: the group was not just welcome — they were valued.
Every Wednesday at 3pm, Dean is there. He offers warmth, respect and practical support, transforming a simple meal service into a safe, dignified and inclusive gathering. Throughout 2025, Dean consistently went above and beyond. He opened the dining room during cold and wet weather, provided indoor and outdoor kitchen access, allocated a dedicated storeroom, used golf buggies to assist elderly and unwell participants, and supported volunteers at every step. His leadership created an environment where some of the community’s most vulnerable individuals feel accepted on club grounds — a generosity not always offered in similar settings.
In recognition of his compassion and unwavering commitment, Camden Haven Community at 3 unanimously appointed Dean as a Patron in November 2025. His actions embody the true meaning of community service: empathy, dignity and showing up when it matters most.

Manly Leagues Club

The Community That Stands Beside You

Each year, Manly Leagues Club delivers hundreds of carefully selected gifts to children receiving care at Northern Beaches Hospital, offering comfort, distraction and joy during what is often a frightening and stressful time. With compassion at the heart of the initiative, Club staff personally deliver gifts to nursing teams, who thoughtfully match each item to a child based on their age, interests and individual circumstances.
These gifts — often small in size but enormous in impact — help soothe anxiety during procedures, brighten long hospital stays and bring a sense of normalcy to young patients navigating illness. Parents frequently express deep gratitude, sharing how much it means to see their child smile during an otherwise challenging period.
This initiative reflects Manly Leagues Club’s ongoing commitment to supporting local families with dignity, kindness and genuine care. By showing up year after year, the Club ensures that children facing hardship feel remembered, valued and surrounded by community.

Moorebank Sports Club

Knitting Up a Storm for Our Community

The Sporties Knitting Group has become one of Moorebank Sports Club’s most cherished community initiatives — a small team of volunteers creating an outsized impact through connection, compassion and craft. Founded over 30 years ago and now 20 members strong, the group meets weekly at Sporties, where the Club provides free wool, supplies and a dedicated space to support their work and foster social connection among older community members.
For many participants, the group is more than a hobby — it is their primary social network, offering purpose, routine and companionship. Their generosity extends far beyond the Club’s walls. In 2025 alone, members handcrafted more than 150 tiny Christmas beanies for Miracle Babies Foundation, created comfort items for Liverpool Women’s Shelter, and contributed handmade gifts to Sporties’ Giving Tree and Backpack Appeal. Each piece represents hours of care and provides comfort to newborns, women in crisis and vulnerable families.
As their impact grows, the community has rallied behind them, donating supplies and celebrating their work. The Sporties Knitting Group embodies community spirit — one stitch at a time — as a proud and valued part of Moorebank Sports Club.

Mounties

Fairfield Hospital Paediatric Playground Upgrade

Mounties Group has reinforced its commitment to community wellbeing with a $150,000 investment in the new paediatric playground at Fairfield Hospital — a project designed to bring comfort, joy and emotional relief to young patients and their families. Officially opened in late 2025, the upgraded playground replaces an outdated space with a modern, safe and inclusive environment tailored to children’s developmental and therapeutic needs.
Delivered by Built, the playground features state‑of‑the‑art equipment, refreshed landscaping and a vibrant design that supports both play and recovery. Fairfield Hospital’s Acting General Manager, Cara Egan, emphasised the importance of play in reducing stress and improving the hospital experience for the approximately 2,500 children admitted to the paediatric ward each year.
The playground provides a much‑needed sense of normalcy for children during hospital stays and offers families a welcoming space to spend meaningful time together away from clinical settings. Mounties Group President Steve Fitzpatrick highlighted the project as a reflection of the organisation’s profit‑for‑purpose commitment, delivering tangible social outcomes for the local community.
Through this initiative, Mounties Group has created a lasting asset that will support healing, connection and wellbeing for thousands of families in the years ahead.

Muswellbrook RSL Club

Muswellbrook RSL Veterans Centre

What began as an unsightly, mould‑damaged tennis court at the edge of the Muswellbrook RSL Club car park has been transformed into one of the region’s most meaningful community assets — a dedicated Veterans Centre, fully funded and delivered by Muswellbrook RSL Club.
After years of driving past the abandoned court, the Club’s CEO Daryl Egan recognised an opportunity to address a long‑identified challenge: bringing younger veterans into club environments. With the RSL Sub‑Branch operating inside the Club for more than 30 years, the vision emerged to create a stand‑alone, accessible centre where veterans could seek welfare services, attend meetings and connect with peers in a welcoming environment.
Backed unanimously by the Board and embraced by the local Sub‑Branch, the Club invested $400,000 to deliver the new facility — a four‑bedroom transportable home redesigned into offices, meeting rooms, pathways, parking and full utility connections. Final landscaping and interior fit‑out are underway, with an official opening planned upon completion.
This project demonstrates Muswellbrook RSL Club’s unwavering commitment to honouring service, supporting wellbeing and creating a lasting legacy for veterans across the Upper Hunter.

Nambucca Bowls Club

Club Nambucca - Community Focus

Club Nambucca has become a vital social and sporting hub for the Nambucca Valley, investing in programs, partnerships and community spaces that strengthen inclusion, participation and local pride. In 2025, the Club hosted its inaugural Community Expo, bringing together sporting clubs, volunteer groups and community organisations to showcase opportunities, recruit members and connect with residents of all ages. Linked 100‑Club raffles have since generated financial support for local groups while helping them grow their visibility and membership.
The Club’s School and Youth Sport program, delivered with accredited coaches and more than 10 volunteers, continues to build strong links with local high schools and provide structured lawn bowls training and competition pathways. These partnerships also position Club Nambucca as an emergency and evacuation centre for Nambucca Heads High School.
Outdoor playground upgrades, free family events, social activities, and year‑round bowls programs have helped attract young families and new members, cementing the Club as a safe and inclusive venue. Club Nambucca also proudly sponsors major local sporting organisations and supports Indigenous participation through Knockout team sponsorships.
In 2025, this commitment was recognised with the Bowls NSW Community Engagement Award. Small in size but big in impact, Club Nambucca continues to be an innovative, welcoming and community‑driven force in the Valley.

Nambucca RSL Club

80 Years on. Lest We Forget

The story of Nambucca Heads RSL Club is inseparable from that of the Nambucca Heads RSL Sub‑Branch — a 70‑year partnership built on service, respect and unwavering commitment to veterans and the community. Formed in 1952 to provide fellowship and support for returned servicemen and women, the Sub‑Branch’s earliest goal was to establish a local RSL Club that would stand as a lasting pillar for the Nambucca Valley. From its first contribution of one pound per week to today’s three‑storey community venue employing more than 85 staff, the Club has honoured that founding vision with integrity.
The Club continues to provide the Sub‑Branch with office space, administrative support and funding for commemorative events including ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day. During COVID‑19, Club executives personally delivered meals to isolated veterans and lit the carpark with candles on ANZAC Day — symbolic acts of connection when the community needed it most.
Each year, the Club President, CEO and staff serve breakfast after the Dawn Service, line the street to honour marching veterans and ensure those unable to march ride proudly on the Club’s courtesy bus.
As the Sub‑Branch approaches its 80th anniversary, Nambucca Heads RSL Club remains a steadfast partner — continuing a shared legacy of remembrance, service and community connection that has shaped the Valley for generations.

Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club

Connected by Harbour, United by Community

With more than 1,900 members and a marina at the gateway to Newcastle Harbour, Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club (NCYC) has become far more than a sailing club — it is a regional connector, development pathway and community hub. NCYC leads with collaboration, strengthening relationships across the Hunter and beyond through initiatives such as the Friendship Cup with Lake Macquarie Yacht Club, the Interclub Trophy with Sydney’s premier yacht clubs, and the free‑entry Elliott Invitational, which brings together regional, interstate and international sailors.
On shore, NCYC provides a welcoming home for community groups including Mahjong and Canasta circles, book clubs, knitting groups, Probus, U3A and an on‑water Men’s Shed. Dozens of sporting, maritime, business and civic organisations receive free or subsidised access to meeting rooms, berthing and event support — from Marine Rescue NSW and the Making Waves Foundation, to Rotary, NTIG, BNI and the Throsby Basin Business Chamber.
NCYC also supports Lifeline Australia, youth education partners and local tourism and business networks through in‑kind contributions and venue access.
Whether hosting social groups, supporting emergency services, enabling disability inclusion or creating youth pathways in sailing, NCYC operates with a clear philosophy: community first — on the water and beyond.

Orange Ex-Services' Club

A Christmas Party at Anson St School!

For more than 43 years, Orange Ex‑Services’ Club has proudly supported the annual Anson Street School Christmas Party, a cherished tradition that brings joy to students with moderate to high support needs, including intellectual and physical disabilities and behavioural challenges. This long‑standing partnership reflects the Club’s deep commitment to inclusion, connection and supporting families across Orange.
Each year, Club directors and staff volunteer their time to prepare a full BBQ lunch for students and teachers, supplying all food, equipment and labour. Every child receives a carefully chosen Christmas gift — a book from Santa’s sack — funded by the Club. One of the most anticipated moments is Santa’s arrival on a Rural Fire Service truck, creating excitement and unforgettable memories for the children.
Over four decades, the event has grown in scale, community engagement and media recognition, becoming a highlight for both the school and Club volunteers. As Principal Melanie Meers shared: “This tradition … is a testament to the Club’s unwavering commitment to our children and to building a community where every student feels valued.”
For Orange Ex‑Services’ Club, this celebration is more than an event — it is a beloved tradition built on genuine care and lasting community partnership.

Silver City Workingmen's Club

Paint Our Town Pink

The Silver City Workingmen’s Club — known locally and lovingly as The Workies — has become a driving force behind Broken Hill’s annual Paint Our Town Pink campaign. For four years, this small community club has been at the heart of the region’s breast cancer awareness and fundraising efforts, transforming the venue each October with pink decorations, pink uniforms and a united commitment to supporting local families affected by cancer.
The centrepiece of the campaign is the Pink Gala Finale Auction, proudly hosted and funded by The Workies. In 2025, the event reached new heights, raising an extraordinary $11,677 — $4,000 more than the previous year — in a packed, standing‑room‑only crowd led by manager Sophie Milne. With just 2,285 members, this achievement reflects the Club’s remarkable community spirit.
To date, $293,929 has been donated locally, funding vital medical equipment, palliative care support, financial assistance for travel to Adelaide for treatment and a free wig bank for all cancer patients. The Club also continues to support junior sport, local charities and community groups year‑round.
The Workies is more than a venue — it is a pillar of compassion, dedication and Broken Hill pride, making a measurable difference in the lives of local families.

Taren Point Bowling Club

Christmas Toy Time with Dandelion Support Network

In 2025, Taren Point Bowling Club strengthened its commitment to meaningful community impact through a powerful partnership with the Dandelion Support Network, a local charity providing essential items to families experiencing hardship. What began as a simple Christmas toy appeal became a transformative project that mobilised members, staff and the wider Sutherland Shire in support of vulnerable families.
The Club’s toy drive quickly grew beyond expectation, with members delivering hundreds of new gifts — from toys and books to handmade items lovingly crafted by locals. To deepen its involvement, five staff from the Club’s Community Champions volunteer program spent time at Dandelion’s Caringbah headquarters, assisting with sorting donations and assembling clothing packs for newborns and children in crisis. This hands‑on experience created a lasting connection between the Club and the charity.
The impact was significant. Dandelion supported hundreds of families facing financial hardship, domestic violence, housing instability and health challenges, ensuring children received dignity and care during Christmas. For Taren Point Bowling Club, the initiative strengthened its identity as a community‑minded hub committed to practical, compassionate action.
This partnership didn’t just collect gifts — it united a community around purpose and laid the foundation for an enduring relationship that will continue to support families when it matters most.

Twin Towns

A Driving Need for Food

The Tweed region is facing one of the most severe food and homelessness crises in its history, with rough sleeping almost doubling since 2020 and thousands of families struggling to afford basic necessities. For Vibe Care Pantry — a volunteer‑run charity supplying food and essential items to more than 3,000 local families — their biggest challenge in 2025 was the imminent failure of their 10‑year‑old delivery truck. Without a reliable vehicle, growing volumes of donated food could not reach people who needed it most.
Twin Towns, through its philanthropic platform Twinnies Gives, stepped in decisively. After Vibe Care submitted a ClubGRANTS application, Twin Towns provided $150,000 in ClubGRANTS funding and, through the Twin Towns Services Community Foundation, an additional $146,000, enabling the purchase of a brand‑new refrigerated 25‑tonne Fuso Shogun. Delivered in December 2025, the truck doubled Vibe Care Pantry’s distribution capacity, ensuring no food is left behind at Foodbank and that more families receive consistent support.
This partnership delivers immediate, life‑changing outcomes: children starting school fed, families avoiding crisis and vulnerable community members receiving vital help during unprecedented hardship. Twin Towns’ support has become a driving force in meeting the region’s most urgent needs — literally and figuratively.

Wenty Leagues

Stitched with Love

The Karabi Knitting Group, proudly supported by Wenty Leagues, represents the true heart of community care, using handmade craft as a powerful tool for comfort, emotional wellbeing and human connection. Their recent donation of 200 lovingly handcrafted teddy bears to Little Wings — supporting seriously ill children travelling long distances for urgent medical care — exemplifies their impact. For these children, the bears offer more than softness; they provide reassurance, reduce anxiety and offer a sense of safety during frightening medical journeys.
Their generosity extends far beyond this partnership. The group has created more than 8,000 handmade items, including 3,900 scarves, beanies and blankets for nursing homes, hospitals, oncology wards, neonatal units and Parramatta Mission. More than 2,000 knitted poppies have been donated to local schools for ANZAC and Remembrance Day, nurturing respect, remembrance and intergenerational connection.
While based in the Cumberland LGA, the group’s kindness reaches families across Fairfield, Blacktown and even interstate, ensuring their care ripples far beyond their neighbourhood.
The Karabi Knitting Group is a shining example of community spirit — proving that small, heartfelt acts, repeated over time, can change lives and strengthen communities.

Wests Illawarra

Together We Are Community Strong

For 70 years, Wests Illawarra has been a pillar of community strength, and its Community Strong initiative represents the Club at its very best — compassionate, connected and consistently stepping up where it matters most. In 2025, Wests provided more than $870,000 in financial and in‑kind support to 48 local sporting clubs, charities and community organisations, delivering meaningful impact across the Illawarra.
Community Strong goes far beyond funding. Through hands-on volunteering, event support, awareness raising and long-term partnerships, Wests has strengthened grassroots sport, expanded disability inclusion, improved access to food relief, supported domestic violence survivors, empowered young people and boosted mental health and crisis support services. From funding Frame Running Wollongong and Escape Bags, to supporting Lifeline, Bellambi Neighbourhood Centre, Vinnies Food Van, Kidswish, and The Flagstaff Group, Wests’ commitment touches every corner of community life.
Unveiled in 2025, the Community Strong mural symbolises this deep local partnership network — a sentiment echoed by Minister Paul Scully, who described Wests as “an integral part of the Illawarra community"".
Community Strong demonstrates one truth: Wests Illawarra doesn’t just support the community — it is part of it.

Windsor RSL

Opening Doors to Hope

The Bunker, operated by the Jeremiah Project and crucially supported by Windsor RSL, has become a vital lifeline for individuals in the Hawkesbury facing homelessness, addiction, loneliness, financial hardship and the lingering impacts of floods and personal crisis. It is a space built on compassion — where people are met with dignity, welcomed without judgement and empowered to rebuild their confidence and wellbeing.
Central to the Bunker’s existence is Windsor RSL, which funds the entire rent of the facility through ClubGRANTS, ensuring the doors stay open for those who need it most. This support allows the Bunker to provide warm meals, hot showers, laundry services, toiletries, free haircuts, legal and social‑work outreach, and practical help navigating housing, income support and mental health systems. Windsor RSL staff volunteer onsite and serve as a collection hub for winter and Christmas appeals, mobilising the wider community to donate blankets, food, toys and essential items.
Together, Windsor RSL and the Jeremiah Project have created a deeply human model of community care — a place where people in crisis find safety, connection and renewed possibility. Their partnership ensures no one in the Hawkesbury faces hardship alone.

Club Lennox

Feeding Community Spirit

Club Lennox Sports is the heart of Lennox Head — not just the town’s only club, but a community anchor that has transformed from near‑closure in 2017 into a strong, sustainable and purpose‑driven organisation. Through disciplined governance and community‑first planning, the Club now operates with financial stability and reinvests every surplus dollar back into the people and programs that define the village.
In the past year alone, Club Lennox Sports contributed $100,000 in sponsorship and support to every sporting club in Lennox Head, ensuring more than nine junior and senior sports remain accessible, affordable, and well‑resourced. The Club also provides free venue access, fundraising support and collaborative event delivery, acting as a central gathering place for the entire community.
Its commitment extends beyond sport. From supporting youth mental health surf initiatives, to stepping up during Cyclone Alfred as a safe haven for residents in crisis, the Club consistently shows up where it matters most.
Small but mighty, Club Lennox Sports has rebuilt itself into a trusted partner, a protector of local tradition and a lifeline for community connection — proof that true impact is measured in heart, not size.