• Cranbourne News

By Sarah Schwager

7th September 2006 11:08:31 AM

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Cranbourne Community House manager Margaret O’Callaghan offered her thanks to all the people who volunteered their time and money to help make jumpers for AIDS babies in South Africa.

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JUMPERS donated by the Cranbourne community for babies born with AIDS have been gratefully welcomed in South Africa.

For the last few months, Cranbourne Community House has been inundated with donations of wool and hundreds of tiny jumpers.

The centre has already sent 40 kilograms or 500 jumpers to the Rotary Anns Club in South Africa, who will then distribute them, with another 700 jumpers about to make their way by sea mail.

Cranbourne Community House manager Margaret O’Callaghan said the project had had a huge impact not just on those in South Africa but on those who had donated to the cause.

“This project has touched so many peoples’ lives here,” Ms O’Callaghan said.

“It is amazing how everyone banded together to help those less fortunate than us.”

But she said locals were disappointed that the initiative would not continue next winter.

She said the community house could not afford to post the jumpers overseas.

While Casey mayor Kevin Bradford donated ward funds to help with postal costs and the centre received some small donations from the community, the project failed to attract corporate sponsorship.

“It’s a bit sad,” Ms O’Callaghan said.

“The community wants it to continue but we can’t until we get sponsorship. We just don’t have the funds at the community house to post them.”

Ms O’Callaghan said she wanted to thank all the people who were involved in the project.

People with jumpers should drop them into the centre as soon as possible.

Contact the Cranbourne Community House on 5996 2941.

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