Wednesday, Wednesday, 22 December, 30 June, 2021
Pakenham
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Celebrating VCE high achievers PAGES 21-24
Don’t dump! It may seem easy and harmless to leave a bag full of donations at the door of an Op Shop but volunteers are urging community members not to dump and dash this Christmas break. While recycled saleable items are always welcome at second hand shops, people are being reminded to only do so when stores are open this festive season - so as to avoid overflowing bins, weather-damaged goods and a colossal amount of work for dedicated volunteers. Bev Burley, the secretary of the Pakenham Op Shop, said that they would be working “right up until Christmas Eve“ and only closing for the holidays at lunchtime on Friday 24 December - just to reopen back on Wednesday 29 December, as they anticipated plenty of donations to flood in during that time. STORY PAGE 2
Gazette out next week L-R: The team from SJD Homes dropped off four x $5,000 cheques to local charities last week as an early Christmas present, pictured here in Picture: GARY SISSONS Pakenham with Bobo Davis from Have a Little Hope. 262415
The gift of giving: Builders chipping in The Christmas spirit is in the air but instead of buying each other gifts this year, the team at SJD Homes decided to come together and do something a bit different this festive season. After the turbulent couple of years we’ve all faced, the staff at the Officer-based build-
ing company wanted to give back to those in need in the local community - and what better way than through some incredible local charities? By foregoing their gifts and instead redirecting the money to four local not-for-
profits, the SJD Homes team have been able to gift $20,000 back to those in need this Christmas - an act of kindness that’s surely put them on Santa’s nice list! STORY PAGE 7
For the first time, at least in living memory, the Pakenham-Berwick Gazette will continue publishing through the Christmas-New Year break. Traditionally the Gazette took a break to give staff - particularly those hard-working members of the Thomas family - some welcome respite. This year the Pakenham office will be closed between Christmas and New Year but the paper will appear in outlets as normal. The special edition will look back on what made news in 2021 and include a special bonus 8-page puzzles liftout to help keep people amused over the holiday period.
Access denied As an able bodied person, there’s a lot we can take for granted, one of which being able to enter stores easily and safely. Pakenham’s Jessica Walton, who often relies on a wheelchair for mobility, decided to audit the main street to see just how disability
friendly it was. In short, it wasn’t. “I’m just a wheelchair user who is sick of being excluded from the main street of my suburb,“ they said. Jess was unable to enter 26 shops on the main street due to either having a step, narrow entryway or heavy doors.
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Although Cardinia Shire Council passed the Disability Action Plan 2021-26 recently, Jess said it wasn’t enough. “I’m glad the council plans to raise awareness of accessibility with businesses with the disability action plan but there were quite a few businesses where I could get in but couldn’t access their products or services be-
cause of their setup,“ Jess said. “Sometimes that could be easily fixed by moving stock, but in a few it would take renovation to fix the problem. “The council need to help businesses with the cost of improving access inside as well as out, in my opinion.“ STORY PAGE 3 ADVERTISEMENT
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By Shelby Brooks
jordan.crugnale@parliament.vic.gov.au P 03 5672 4755 JordanCrugnaleMP Authorised by J Crugnale 9 McBride Street, Wonthaggi. Funded by Parliamentary Budget.