|
Milford Lodge
Community Market Day Our biggest event of the year, Milford Lodge Community Market Day (or just Market Day to the children) was the idea of a few educators in 2009 to have a day for children which focused on recycling and reusing. Each group came up with an idea for a stall, and then asked families to spring clean and bring in donations to fill the stalls. The children were to be given ‘Milford Money’ on the day (a Saturday morning) to be able to spend at each stall. We also invited local family and community businesses to host a stall to sell or network. |
|
As donations came in for the centre stalls, we realised that adults may want to buy some of the items also, and so we added a gold coin donation system for adults. Milford Lodge does not believe in fundraising for itself, being a private business, and so chose a few charities to hand any proceeds to.
That first year we raised around $200.
The next year we handed $1500 to ABC + Rice (Cambodian Orphanage). A few years later we finally broke the $2000 mark, and then in 2014, the beneficiary was one of our own families. Damien Holt was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia after he went to his GP with a complaint of a mouth ulcer. The family moved their entire life to Brisbane whilst Damien underwent treatment. Our families helped us raise a staggering $3500 for the Holt Family.
Thinking it couldn’t be beaten, we still went higher in 2015, handing over $3600 to Wishlist on behalf of the Noble family, who lost their beautiful little boy Hamish to drowning a few years earlier.
2018 saw us hand over $2600 to our local school chaplains - at Buderim, Woombye & Chevallum State School.
Whilst the fundraising aspect has increased dramatically over the 9 years, we have managed to keep the original ideals behind Market Day. Our stalls are still run off donations, and children still all receive their Milford Money as they come through the gates.
Milford Market Day takes a lot of effort from all of the Milford Lodge educators – leading up to, and the clean up after – all unpaid! – But it is so rewarding, and the children absolutely love it!
That first year we raised around $200.
The next year we handed $1500 to ABC + Rice (Cambodian Orphanage). A few years later we finally broke the $2000 mark, and then in 2014, the beneficiary was one of our own families. Damien Holt was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia after he went to his GP with a complaint of a mouth ulcer. The family moved their entire life to Brisbane whilst Damien underwent treatment. Our families helped us raise a staggering $3500 for the Holt Family.
Thinking it couldn’t be beaten, we still went higher in 2015, handing over $3600 to Wishlist on behalf of the Noble family, who lost their beautiful little boy Hamish to drowning a few years earlier.
2018 saw us hand over $2600 to our local school chaplains - at Buderim, Woombye & Chevallum State School.
Whilst the fundraising aspect has increased dramatically over the 9 years, we have managed to keep the original ideals behind Market Day. Our stalls are still run off donations, and children still all receive their Milford Money as they come through the gates.
Milford Market Day takes a lot of effort from all of the Milford Lodge educators – leading up to, and the clean up after – all unpaid! – But it is so rewarding, and the children absolutely love it!
