Funds help stage show and women’s event

The Warragul Show and an event for International Women’s Day will each receive $3000 funding from Baw Baw Shire.

Council last week supported funding requests from the Warragul and West Gippsland Agricultural Society and Women in Gippsland to run their two events next month.

A report to council said the show committee sought $5000 to assist in the running of this year’s show on March 3 and 4.

Officers said “promotional risks” had been identified where the timing of the event could result in council not being duly acknowledged for its financial support.

The report said the show committee had been funded more than three times through council’s community development grants.

“The application has been identified as not fitting the criteria for regional/state event, and thus the local event criteria has been considered,” the report said.

Women in Gippsland also received $3000 for an International Women’s Day event to be held at Lardner Park on March 8.

Cr Mikaela Power said staff had assessed the two applications.

She said there had been some issues about the show acknowledging council’s support for the event, which she said should not be a problem given social media and potential for signage at the front of Logan Park.

Cr Power said she hoped the $3000 for Women in Gippsland would help the group to run another successful event.

She said the cost of the event ($16.80 per person) reflected the 16 per cent pay difference between men’s and women’s wages.

The sponsorship grants were allocated as part of council’s community development grants program. Council has allocated $24,545 this year for sponsorship requests.