Ray White Centenary's Little Ray of Giving in the outback

“We tried to do something extra special this year,” says Ray White Centenary’s Natasha Johns.

The Ray White Centenary staff are part of the annual Ray White Groups ‘Little Ray of Giving’ campaign, that promotes supporting the local community, through donations, at this very significant time of year.

Over recent years the Little Ray of Giving campaign has seen the Ray White Centenary office donate gifts for children facing a tough Christmas. This year they wanted to try something that would have an even wider positive effect.

“It was a team decision,” says Ms Johns as she explained this year’s very successful campaign raised more than $2000 in cash which will be divided between three small schools in the outback area of St George, Queensland, exclusively for pupils’ school supplies.

The schools who will benefit are Begonia State School, Thallon State School (pictured above) and Bollon State School. Begonia State School caters for 11 students and has one teacher, while Thallon State School has 31 students and two teachers, and Bollon State School has 13 students with one teacher.

“The schools will receive vouchers for their families who will spend the funds at their local newsagents to buy stationery and other supplies for the next school year, who have also partnered with the program,” Ms Johns said.

In this way, the donation has a more beneficial effect, supporting families as well as local shopkeepers who have also been struggling during the long drought.

Principal of Ray White Centenary Geoff Williams has been a long time Rotarian who finds helping others always very rewarding. How can it not make you happy to be able to help anyone but especially the kids? I’m really happy the staff have come up with such a terrific plan,” said the long-time principal Mr Williams.

“The staff themselves, as well as tenants, landlords and even tradesman have come on board and donated to the campaign. “Some landlords have just had their donation deducted from their rental, others have just donated to our Ray of Giving bank account. We’ve made it as easy as possible for people to donate. What we all wanted to do here, was to find a way to really help people.”