More than 70 staff members from SuniTAFE’s Mildura Campus got into the festive spirit last week by participating in the 2022 Mallee Family Care Christmas Appeal.

To participate, staff members were asked to purchase a gift for a young person up to the price of $25. Some staff members elected to buy more than one gift, meaning 92 gifts were donated to Mallee Family Care.

There were a wide range of gifts purchased, including dolls, building blocks, sporting equipment, and art supplies.

The Mallee Family Care Christmas Appeal is run every year. The contributions of local businesses, schools, and individuals allow Mallee Family Care to provide Christmas gifts to children who might otherwise go without.

SuniTAFE has participated in the Christmas Appeal for more than a decade.

Events Officer Dani Coluccio, who has been instrumental in facilitating the 2022 Toy Drive for SuniTAFE, is enthusiastic about the Institute’s participation this year.

“After a few years of families being impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and now the floods, it’s heart-warming to be able to provide children with a little gift that could potentially make their year.”

“I love the idea that you could give a book or a toy to a child and it has the ability to change the trajectory of their life. Imagine you donated a colouring set that inspired someone to become an artist. I think that’s amazing,” Dani said.

The gifts were collected by Mallee Family Care on December 9th.