COVID is not curbing local school fundraising efforts, and the community is set to benefit. West End State School is hoping to end the year on a high and is calling on the community to help make that happen by buying raffle tickets.

The school’s Parents and Citizens (P&C) is holding a bumper raffle with tickets selling for $5, or less for multiple tickets, and a prize pool of $5800 up for grabs. More than 30 prizes are offered including a five-night Seaworld Resort holiday for a family of four, a Headlands Chalet North Stradbroke Island family stay, bookbinding classes, gym classes, and plenty of gift vouchers and hampers from local West End businesses.

P&C President Mr Donovan Marsh said COVID-19 had curtailed the P&C’s usual fundraising activities during the year but it had not curbed the school’s sense of community and commitment to providing the best for local children. “This year we donated more than $150,000 to the school to fund technology, reading resources, a nature play area, physical education teaching, plants, and other school events,” Mr Marsh said.

“At the same time, COVID restrictions meant we couldn’t run our usual fundraising and community activities, so we’ve had to think differently and now we have the online WESS P&C Xmas Raffle Extravaganza to offer the community,” Mr Marsh said, “Thankfully we have amazing locals, and we are blown away by the generosity of everyone who donated our raffle prizes.”

The WESS P&C’s dual key functions are to fundraise to support the growing school and to foster a sense of community with the surrounding suburbs, as well as the school community. Mr Marsh said he hoped the WESS P&C Xmas Raffle Extravaganza would achieve both with all money raised going towards the upkeep of the WESS pool and paying for dedicated swim coaches for the school community. “It’s time for some nostalgic festive cheer to round out this year of challenges.”

For further information contact WESS P&C at phone 07 3010 8281 and purchase your raffle tickets here.

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