Community
18 February, 2026
Donation received
THE Cobden State Emergency Service (SES) unit have received a $1500 donation from Timboon Opportunity Shop (TOPS) to fund one of their newest members to obtain his truck license, ensuring more volunteers can get on the road in times of need.
SES deputy controller Sue Sartori said they were grateful for the donation and their new member was excited to get behind the wheel.
“We’ve got new members from our recruitment drive last year which TOPS helped fund and one of them has gone great and we decided to give him a truck driver’s license which he’ll use at work as well as be able to drive the truck for the unit,” she said.
“We tried to get funding elsewhere that failed and Brenda said that TOPS would fund it and he’s absolutely rapt.
“He’s booked it in and I’ve paid for it and he’ll do his licensing in Hamilton in May.
“We’re just so grateful – it’s one less thing that we have to fork out, wherever we can get funding from the community is great.”
TOPS coordinator Brenda Parfett said any help they could give to volunteers in the region was money well spent.
“The TOPS committee agreed to fund this young lad because we all know everyone needs volunteers,” she said.
“We’re very grateful for our volunteers and the work they do.
“Most people have retired and find time to give to TOPS.
“All the money we earn from our shop goes back into the community in various ways whether it’s sporting groups that we support and recently supported with practical linen to go to the fires.”
The money will go a long way, as Ms Sartori said the unit were in the market for a new four-wheel drive and every cent would count.
“This donation means a hell of a lot,” she said.
“We’re going to be buying a new four-wheel drive this year.
“The government has supplied two thirds of the funds for that and we have to supply the other third which is about $50,000 which we’ve been saving up for for years.
“Any money we can get to pay for little things like the truck license from elsewhere just really helps.
“It’s more we’ve got to put towards other things, which we use for saving lives.”
The SES has been keeping busy in recent weeks, highlighting the importance of the volunteer work they do for the community.
“We did help with the fires, we couldn’t send a lot of people to the fire grounds because we’ve only got a small unit, but we did have our members there loading up the plane and we delivered a lighting trailer to Gellibrand,” Ms Sartori said.
“There’re things we can do, we’re always there 24 hours a day, it never stops.
“Even when there’s not a job there’s a lot of administration involved in it, and it’s all done by volunteers.”
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