Market profits shared around

PROFITS from Gembrook Market’s first year of operation are being distributed back to the community.
The winning applicants were announced during the Carols in the Park event on Saturday.
The carols followed a successful twilight market held earlier in the day — the last market for the year.
The market committee met recently to review applications and allocate grants totalling almost $12,000 from surplus profits.
Market committee chairman John Cascone said eight applications were received from all parts of the Gembrook area.
“Applications came from groups involved with children and older residents of our community, along with emergency services, environmental and historic activities and community facilities,” Mr Cascone said.
“The market committee and its many volunteers are delighted that the profits from their efforts will be able to directly help our local community, which has been so supportive of the market since it started in August 2005.
“Many locals say they are proud of the market and what it has achieved in putting Gembrook back on the map, and they are pleased that it offers a regular meeting place to catch up with other residents.”
Grants were given to the Gembrook Craft Group for equipment; Friends of Gembrook Park for gardening tools; improved fencing and gates for the Gembrook Playgroup’s playground at the Gembrook Community Centre; heating and airconditioning for the community centre’s meeting rooms.
Funds were also given for a GPS receiver for the Gembrook Rural Fire Brigade’s new brigadeowned tanker; a Christmas afternoon tea for senior citizens organised by the Gembrook RSL; a fridge for the Friends of Kurth Kiln’s meeting area; the purchase of a new human powered vehicle for Gembrook Primary School and Tshirts for student competitors for use in the RACV Energy Breakthrough challenge.
The next Gembrook Market will be held on Sunday, 28 January at Puffing Billy Station between 9am and 3pm.