A night of fun and hilarity is hoped to help raise money to prevent homelessness in Mitchell Shire.
Comedy for a Cause will include four of Australia’s top comedians visiting Kilmore on Saturday, October 26 with all money going towards the Transition Village Wallan project.
Transition Village Wallan chief executive Judy Clarke said when they fundraise, the group also looked for opportunities to engage with the community.
“We try to do something that will really engage our community and bring them together to have a good time because we want to get the point across that it’s not all doom and gloom for our environment and social needs, and what we can do as a community,” she said.
“It’s been a bit of doom and gloom year so we just need to step back and look after ourselves, and I think this is a good way to do that.”
Comedians Chris Wainhouse, Alex Ward, James Masters and Adam Knox will take to the stage at Kilmore Memorial Hall with a silent raffle also taking place on the night.
Ms Clarke said she was hoping to raise $6000, which would come with an attendance of 200 people, and was hoping people from all across the shire would attend the show.
“There doesn’t seem to be a great deal of interesting adult entertainment between Melbourne and the Goulburn,” she said.
“There’s a woman who wanted to remain anonymous that donated $1000 to employing AUSLAN interpreters because, again, there’s nothing around here for people who use sign language.
“Each time we do something, we’re trying to step it up a bit and create something happening in the area.”
The Transition Village Wallan project is gathering momentum, having received a $200,000 grant from the State Government’s Pick My Project fund. Planning permits on the way for the site at the end of North Station Road in Wallan East.
Ms Clarke said Mitchell Shire Council had been helpful in the process.
“Council has been brilliant. We’ve got the planning application in and that’s being expedited through. Once we get that, we’re ready to go,” she said.
“I hoped to have people in by Christmas but connecting our solar system to the power grid won’t happen until February.”
While the original concept was for a village of tiny homes, that proved to be too expensive for a community-funded project.
Thanks to the help of Northside Cabins in Broadford, the village will be made up of prefabricated steel units with a bedroom and living area, along with communal facilities like laundries and kitchens.
“The generosity of businesses and individuals has been amazing,” Ms Clarke said.
“We feel the good in people if they want to help but don’t know how. We figured by educating people, we can help them do that and validate that goodness in people and bring people together.”
Tickets are available at comedyforacause.net/tc-events/Wallan with food platters also available to pre-order until October 21.
