Members of the Tongala RSL invited Federal Member for Nicholls Damian Drum to their hall to formally thank him for the $5500 in federal funding that paid for their new solar panels.
Treasurer Kate O’Connor said she had received an invitation from Mr Drum’s office to apply for the grant in July 2021 through the Powering Communities Program, and they flicked the switch on the new solar panels in December last year.
The RSL has previously received around $30,000 from the state government to refurbish the toilets at the hall, which started in August last year and was completed just before Christmas.
Tongala RSL Sub-Branch president Max Webster said these government investments benefited the entire community because other groups used the hall too.
Mr Webster said the Tongala RSL hadn’t applied for any more grants because the current funding had been sufficient to meet the needs of the community.
Ms O’Connor said while they didn’t expect to make a profit on the rebates from the new solar panels, they would help reduce the overhead costs of maintaining the hall.