Turning chocolate treats into fresh, healthy vegetables might be one of the lesser-known skills of Henzells Agency, but it is one that gives us a great sense of fulfilment.
Our Golden Beach sales specialist Iain Simms is the man behind the magic, through his personal sponsorship of the local school’s Easter raffle.
For the past several years, Iain has been the driving force behind the Golden Beach State School’s fundraiser, donating bags of chocolate goodies and stuffed toys which are raffled off to the school community.
The raffle is part of the school’s annual easter celebrations, with the winners drawn after the students’ colourful hat parade which will take place this year on Thursday, March 31.
President of the Golden Beach State School P&C Association, Kellie Morris, said the Easter raffle was one of the most profitable fundraisers for the school.
“Because Iain does all the organising and legwork, right down to printing the raffle tickets, the proceeds flow directly to the school. We are very grateful for his unprovoked generosity, which regularly raises more than $2,500 for the school,’’ she said.
The funds are channelled into a variety of areas including the school’s kitchen garden program where a wide range of fruits, vegetables and herbs are harvested to teach students the benefits of growing and cooking with fresh produce.
“The money has been helpful for investing in our kitchen garden and cooking program. We are now growing more things such as bok choy and spinach, and have purchased chickens for fresh eggs,’’ she said.
Iain says it’s a pleasure being involved. As a father of three children himself, he says spending time with family is always a top priority.
“In previous years I’ve had some cuddly toys as prizes but this year I’ve gone for a games theme because sooner or later it’s likely we’ll all be doing a stint of at home isolation thanks to COVID.
“And I’m looking forward to seeing the Easter hat parade again - so much colour glitter and excitement in one place,’’ he said.
Over more than 85 years of operation, Henzells has had a long-standing commitment to being a positive influence on community we love.
We have helped many people and groups reach their full potential through the raising of hundreds of thousands of dollars for worthy local charities, schools and sporting groups.
And we aren’t satisfied with just handing over cheques. Our staff get actively involved in our fundraising endeavours, from firing up the barbie at sausage sizzles, to selling raffle tickets, organising movie nights and much more.
At Henzells we love the feeling of being part of something bigger than ourselves, and the pride that comes with being directly involved in our community’s progress.