Moreton Bay Regional Council’s chaplaincy support breakfast program has raised more than $200,000 since 2008.
Mayor Allan Sutherland told an audience of 266 at Friday, November 4’s chaplaincy support breakfast at the Morayfield Community Centre, the amount raised was a tribute to the community’s support of the work of chaplains throughout the region.
“This region-wide fundraising program shows just how highly school chaplains are regarded,” the Mayor said.
Friday’s breakfast brought this year’s regional fund-raising total to more than $53,600.
"This funding will go a long way towards supporting our local chaplains in the wide range of tasks they carry out every day,” Mayor Sutherland said.
“As we heard from the chaplains themselves, some of them are helping ensure kids in need are getting the basics like breakfasts and lunches, others are providing a friendly sounding board, some are encouraging students to play sport and yet others are providing homework help before school.”
“Chaplains are there for our young people, providing a valuable service to our school communities by being someone young people can turn to who isn’t a teacher and isn’t family, but does have the best interests of students as their top priority.”
Guest speaker Rachael Bermingham was visibly moved by the accounts of the roles school chaplains played, and she told the audience how she’d wished she’d had a chaplain in her life when things had been tough.
The self-made businesswoman, author and motivational speaker explained how she had worked hard for her success and that she lived by the motto “Dream, Believe, Create, Succeed.”
“Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself,” she said.
Volunteers helped cook and serve breakfast while donated items auctioned during the morning included a three-night stay at Fairways Golf and Beach Retreat at Woorim, a performance by statue actor Dean Terry and a Queensland State Equestrian Centre hat signed by Troy Cassar-Daley and Laurel Edwards.
“It’s important to remember that everything is donated at this breakfast, so all money raised goes directly towards the Scripture Union’s chaplaincy program,” Mayor Sutherland said.
