May 16, 2022

Program returns: Josie Hammond (left), Wendy Holman and Lower Eyre District Council Accounts Administration Officer Lara Howard-Ham are excited about the return on the 'Connecting Connections' program which was pulled to a hault due to pandemic. Photo: supplied. Lower Eyre District Council has partnered with the Red Cross to run its Creating Connections program, with the first event coming up this month. The program has just returned to the district after it was pulled to a hault due to COVID-19, with a tour of Coffin Bay coming up on Tuesday May 17, labelled as 'Wild Yarnbala.' Creating Connections is a free social initiative for people living within the district aged from 55 years, with the monthly events encouraging people to get out and about to see and learn new things in a welcoming environment. The first event will involve a tour of Coffin Bay, with the bus leaving from Cummins at 9am, the tour beginning at 10am. Participants will be taken on a guided bush walk, explore the orchard, listen to informative tours and sit in on a musical performance. Bookings are essential - attendees can phone the council office to book a seat on the community bus. Lower Eyre District Council mayor Jo-Anne Quigley explained the events are held monthly, emphasising it is a great' program to be involved in. "The people who utilise it really, look forward to it - it is a great way for like-minded people to get together and get out and do something that they probably would not do otherwise." Mayor Quigley said the events provided an opportunity to meet different people from different towns throughout the Lower Eyre Peninsula. "It gives people the opportunity to change up some of the friendship groups and get to know different people, I am sure that everyone will be really excited that it has come back." She explained the program has been funded by Council in partnership with Red Cross, adding the program is likely to continue if it is well supported. "At this stage it has been really well received and Council are really happy to continue to help with the funding." Council has a coordinator for the program in Sonia Mittelstadt who assists with organising the events.