Community interest for Scholarship Working Group

The Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund Working Group has added two more positions after an uptick in interest from the public to be involved.

The working group is tasked in maintaining the council’s scholarship fund for the benefit of local students.

These funds are to encourage students to continue their education beyond secondary school.

One of the members’ responsibilities has most recently been fulfilled, with the announcement of the 2025 scholarship fund recipients yesterday evening (story on page 5).

There had previously only been two positions for those community representatives.

It was agreed at Gunnedah Shire Council’s extraordinary January meeting to add two more positions for community representatives after receiving four nominations.

“It is nice to see the community really wants to get involved with this,” Cr Rob Hooke said.

“Normally there has only been two community representatives.

“It is nice to see we actually have to increase that number because of the enthusiasm of the community to actually participate.”

In agreement was Cr Linda Newell, stating that “good volunteers are hard to find” but they managed to gain multiple for the working group.

A total of four community representative positions were endorsed by council with three others for the TAFE, Gunnedah High School and the Gunnedah Chamber of

Commerce. A representative from St Mary’s College was still vacant at the meeting with intention from the council to see it filled.

The working group members are; Patricia Gai Schubert (Gunnedah High School), Sarah Ranclaud (TAFE), Marc Eisenhauer (Gunnedah Chamber of Commerce), Natalie Walters (community representative), Lyn Pengilly (community representative), Gemma Bunner (community representative), and Tammy White (community representative).