Grassroots sport is the latest beneficiary of Greater Bank's #GreaterIllawarra community funding program with Port Kembla Junior Rugby League Club securing the most votes in June.
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The club will receive $2000 to help give young football players more opportunities to develop their skills.
Ability Artists and Arcadians Theatre Group each receive $500 in funding.
Based at Noel Mulligan Oval at Warrawong, the Port Kembla club has doubled in size during the last year to now boast 300 junior players across 21 girls' and boys' teams from under six to under 16.
Club secretary Allison Nutland said the club was proud of the way it continued to operate under difficult circumstances over the past 12 months.
And believes that providing opportunities for kids to play when the competition resumed last year has been the catalyst for the growth.
"The additional processes and procedures we had to implement due to COVID were challenging but it was important that we embrace the change and give our kids every opportunity to get back on the field," she said.
"Taking that position last year has no doubt attracted more players to the club in 2021, particularly in the younger age groups. The growth has been fantastic, but it does create a level of financial pressure to continue to provide the best facilities we can for all of our teams.
"This funding from Greater Bank is a big boost for the club and will allow us to immediately purchase new training equipment, such as tackling bags and agility poles, which will benefit all players in the club.
"We're crossing our fingers hoping that the current restrictions will ease soon and we can get the players back on the training field and make the most of the new equipment."
Greater Bank's Illawarra regional sales manager Greg Creagan said that grassroots and community sport had been a real winner of community funding.
"Of the $18,000 the #GreaterIllawarra program has distributed already this year, nearly half of that has gone to supporting community sporting groups," he said.
"These clubs play such an important role in supporting the physical development and wellbeing of people right across our community and during what has been a difficult time to fundraise, it is fantastic that we can play a small role in supporting their operations."
The July round of the #GreaterIllawarra program is now open with Bikers 4 Heroes, SCARF Refugee Support and Youth: Dismissed - Art Exhibition vying for a share in the $3000 funding.
Members of the community can vote online at greater.com.au/greaterillawarra or at any Greater Bank branch.
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Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
