20 years of CEF

Nash Marchant and Michael Raglus were Gilgandra’s recipients of the CEF scholarship.

Nash Marchant has left for his bachelor of exercise and sports science at Charles Sturt University Port Macquarie, and Michael Raglus will begin his electrician apprenticeship in the coming weeks.

Both Mr Marchant and Mr Raglus have said the CEF scholarship will significantly help with kick starting their next stage in life, and are incredibly grateful for the opportunity.

“Those start up costs can be really difficult to manage, and the scholarship is going to help so much with that,” said Mr Raglus.

“Just buying your tools, work clothes, and the cost of travel, it all adds up. So I am extremely excited and absolutely grateful for CEF.”

“The scholarship is really going to take the stress off the cost of living,” said Mr Marchant.

“I am so grateful to CEF for the opportunity. Some money will go towards textbooks etc, but taking the pressure off the everyday costs is amazing.”

The CEF is a community based not-for-profit, with the aim of helping rural and regional youth access to education, training, and jobs. CEF do so by engaging in fundraising to provide local grants and scholarships. Over Gilgandra’s 20-year history with CEF, the local branch has given almost $200,000 in assistance to students.

Gilgandra’s CEF chairperson, Joan Staggs, says that the program supports beginning and continuing students.

“If students are granted a local scholarship, they are then able to apply for co-funding from most universities. The scholarships are also available for all forms of tertiary education, including university, tafe, and apprenticeships.”

Mrs Staggs explained that Gilgandra plans to fundraise for the foundation soon.

“We plan to fundraise once covid restrictions lift. Due to drought we didn’t appeal for help. Then during COVID-19, the local Bendigo Bank assisted, over 2020- 2021,” said Mrs Staggs.

“Hopefully we can resume soon to ask for community assistance.”