FOR EVERY negative news story out there - and there are more than enough right now - the people of this shire can always produce a wonderful tale to lift our spirits.
Last year, council launched the Community Grants Program and a parallel Recovery Community Grants program. These grants offer community organisations funds to deliver projects and programs that improve our quality of living in many valuable ways.
The Recovery stream of grants were designed to assist with projects that assisted bushfire recovery or increased preparedness for future fire events. This was one of the channels by which we injected government funds into the communities that felt the brunt of the Black Summer bushfires.
The Upper Macleay suffered terribly during the bushfires, many using their community halls as evacuation centres, and later gathering places, as the community reunited and recovered.
That's why it is such wonderful news to see the way that Millbank Public Hall has been restored and rejuvenated through one of those grants. The Millbank Hall Committee have outdone themselves in terms of the work they have carried out on this much-loved and valuable community asset which was in quite a state after the fires.
To the committee and the Millbank community, thank you, it brings me huge joy to see your newly refurbished hall and I look forward to hearing the stories of community spirit coming out of it.
If you're even a little bit as inspired by these amazing people as I am then the next round of council's Community Grants is open, including some additional recovery funds, and you can find out more at ksc.pub/community-grants
We will remember them
Amid the current health crisis, it's important to not lose sight of the bigger picture.
Vietnam Veterans Day fell on August 18, and this year I made a trip to the Kempsey-Macleay RSL Sub-Branch to lay a wreath on behalf of Kempsey Shire.
I felt it was important to pause and reflect on the bravery, teamwork, and endurance of all the Australians who fought from 1962 to 1975.
I'm particularly proud to see these qualities represented through the sporting clubs, community organisations and charities week in and week out all around the shire.
To our mates who served in the Vietnam War, I take this opportunity to say on behalf of the Kempsey Shire community, we will remember them.
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