MEMBERS of Wedderburn Patchwork Group will tomorrow make its final donation from the annual Christmas and Arts Festival.
After more than 30 years, the group has decided it is unable to continue running the popular November event.
Outgoing president Irene Finch, who has been one of the key organisers for 15 years, said members wanted another group in the community to take over the reigns.
“We discussed our group’s future running the festival and decided that we’re all getting old ... of nine members only two under 60. That’s reality,” she said.
“We talked about it at length at our annual meeting. We even considered running the festival every two years but then realised we would be older and slower in two years time too.”
Mrs Finch said the festival had raised more than $50,000 for community organisations since it was held in 1992.
“Money has gone towards the local CERT ambulance team, the State Emergency Service and the school,” she said.
“There have also been donations to the Stroke Foundation, for restoration of Charlton’s Rex Theatre after flood damage and the wig library in Bendigo.
“The money we raised last November - $1500 - is being handed over to Bendigo Foodshare this week.”
Mrs Finch said last year’s festival had been possible after 27 people from the community stepped up to volunteer.
“We’ve struggled for volunteers for the last few years but managed to pull off successful festivals,” she said.
“But the group can’t do it any more.”
The two-day annual festival has been supported by community and school entries and traditionally heralded the start of the festive season in Loddon communities.
Mrs Finch said the group was preparing documents for any group prepared to take on the festival.
The call for community volunteers continues across local communities.
Vocational major students from Wedderburn College played a key role in preparations at Hard Hill for last weekend’s gold detector jamboree.