The winner for our 2021 Permayouth Raffle has been drawn, Christine Carrol of the Sunshine Coast. I can’t think of a more deserving winner – a tireless volunteer for Permaculture Australia Education team for years, and the Permafund, and is a carer for her elderly mother. Congratulations! This raffle was established to support refugee youth in East Africa – those who we have the great pleasure to connect with through our Global Permayouth network.
Permayouth Raffle Winner – Christine Carrol
The special prize was a handcrafted crochet blanket from Permayouth member – the generous young Billie Ballard who lives on the Sunshine Coast.
PERMAYOUTH AT PERMACULTURE FESTIVAL
Chris got her tickets at Northey Street City Farm in Brisbane where both Permafund and Permayouth were having stalls at the Permaculture Festival at the end of April – just before the Permaculture Convergence – an event that had been postponed a year because of covid.
After drawing the raffle, I immediately contacted Christine. She was excited to win and sent her thanks for the surprise news. Chris also sent a special thanks to Billie Ballard for her beautiful crochet work and generosity, and the Permayouth team for their fine efforts.
Permayouth and Billie’s Blanket. (Image: Sheeba Taylor) – Billie is in the black t-shirt
She added “I trust that the raffle was a successful fund raiser. I have made a donation to Permayouth as a gesture of thanks. It’s very good to see the excellent work you are all doing around the world educating and inspiring people and communities. ”
COURAGE TO CARE
What makes this raffle and the blanket even more special is that Billie Ballard struggles with many disabilities. This has been a particularly challenging year for her, yet she continues to crochet and donate her beautiful blankets for a good cause. Even though she’d recently been in hospital, Billie came down to the Festival and walked around selling the raffle tickets raising almost $450 on the day – because of her courage and huge smile. We continued to accept donations for the next month, and raised altogether just shy of $1800. This is enough to fund an entire class of Permayouth in East Africa. The money has already been sent. I collect the money into our registered charity, Ethos Foundation and send 100% across.
Permaculture teacher Sakina with the Permaculture Education Institute (left) has finished teaching Youth in Permaculture award winning group, and is now getting ready to start a new Permayouth program with support from the Permayouth Raffle of Billie’s Blanket. This work of the youth, and your support, really makes a huge difference.
A huge thanks to Billie and her family who support her involvement again this year. Also an enormous thanks to the Permayouth team and parents who came and made the Festival stall a huge success. You were all so amazing! The Permayouth give a wonderful talk at the speakers tent and met some wonderful people throughout the day, including David Holmgren and his partner Su Dennett, who were in the next door stall.
AN ECOLOGY OF ORGANISATIONS
The Permayouth is the self-organising youth program of the Permaculture Education Institute. Young students of our Permaculture Educators program decided they wanted to start meeting together and the global Permayouth was born. The Ethos Foundation is the registered charity we host to receive and distribute funds to where it is needed most – to help people in vulnerable communities access free permaculture education and the resources to get their gardens and projects happening. Both the Permayouth and Permaculture Education Institute members donate and raise funds for the Ethos Foundation recipients. This year so far we have helped hundreds of youth in refugee camps receive full permaculture design certificates from local teachers.
DONATE ANYTIME
You don’t have to wait for another raffle, you can donate to Ethos Foundation anytime, and I encourage you to consider a monthly donation because that way it becomes easier to keep saying YES when we are asked to support more free permaculture education programs for refugee youth. This really does make a positive impact in young people’s lives.
THANK YOU
Thank you Billie. Thank you Permayouth. Thank you Christine. Thank you everyone!!!
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