By Ethan Benedicto
Oakgrove Community Centre held its celebrating communities event on Saturday 2 December, featuring foods and activities from samosas to face painting and a jumping castle.
With the goal to showcase the diversity of the neighbourhood, families and guests were greeted by interactive workshops, live cultural performances and local businesses showcasing their products and services.
Event coordinator Anu Ravindernath said the day wasn’t just to display their facilities but also to celebrate the heart and soul of their community.
“The aim of delivering a community event is to foster a sense of unity and connection among residents,” she said.
Serving as a platform for social interaction, the event also looked to promote inclusivity and help strengthen community bonds.
Centre manager Mary Amalraj said that it was all about interaction.
“Our main purpose is to engage with the community, learning about their cultures, listening to their needs or wants, and thinking out of the box to provide appropriate solutions,” she said.
Children’s activities were a major focus for the event, with the pony rides that trekked around the park easily being one of the most popular.
Families were also greeted by an ice cream truck, a coffee truck with pastries, a sausage sizzle and a catering service offering foods from samosas to wedges.
Inside the hall were stalls of jewellery, scented candles, clothing and many more that were displayed and made available for purchase by local vendors and small businesses.
“Organising the celebrating community event was rewarding but had its challenges, such as coordinating logistics, obtaining necessary permits and ensuring safety measures,” Ms Ravindernath said.
Planning for the event took roughly six months, with communication through social media, flyers and community bulletin boards being strong factors in spreading the word.
Sourcing volunteers was also another aspect that was important to the event’s success, with Ms Ravindernath saying that “witnessing the community come together was incredibly gratifying”.
“It highlighted the power of communal efforts in creating memorable experiences and strengthening the bonds within the neighbourhood,” she said.
Casey youth services was also present during the day, featuring their own set of activities and spreading awareness of their resources from counselling services to youth events.
The event was also attended by Holt MP Cassandra Fernando and Narre Warren South MP Gary Maas who both spoke to the crowd during the day.
For the members of Oakgrove, the future is clear and it revolves around engaging, building and fostering connections within the local community.
