Parade gets support
ON JANUARY 26 this year, the heavens opened and rained on Coolum's popular Australia Day parade.
The parade and all the surrounding celebrations, meticulously organised over many months by the Coolum Lions Club, had to be cancelled.
This week, instead of clouds, the Lions Club got to experience that fabled silver lining, with Bendigo Bank coming on board with a $5000 donation towards next year's Australia Day celebration.
Lions president Phil Peterson said the bank's generosity would ensure next year's parade and festivities would be the best yet.
"Every year it's a bit of battle to get the dollars together and having Bendigo Bank onside with us is absolutely fantastic," he said.
"The Lions Club decided to change our banking process to Bendigo Bank. Just out of the blue we were offered the cheque, straight up. We were absolutely blown out of the water."
Mr Peterson said the money would also help "ease the pain" of this year's Australia Day cancellation.
"It was very well-planned - all the i's were dotted and the t's were crossed.
"Everything was all set and ready to go and it was promising to be one of the best ever and Mother Nature, as she will, rained on our parade."
"The planning that we put in for the 2012 event will certainly carry over to this one and hopefully it's going to be bigger and better."
Bendigo Bank's Marcoola branch manager Judy Blackall said it was an honour to be able to help the Lions Club with the Australia Day celebrations.
"It's recognition of all the hard work they have done," she said.
"Australia Day is important to every Australian, no matter where you are, whether it's Coolum Beach, Marcoola or sitting in Alice Springs.
"That why I feel honoured to be a part of this, and that's why I explained to my committee it's just something that is integral to the fabric of the Coolum community."
Coolum Business and Tourism president Noel Mooney urged local businesses to support the Australia Day celebrations either by organising a float in the grand parade or by donation.
