By Tanya Faulkner
Boronia Library was painted red for a community fundraiser last week.
On Friday 11 August the library played host to a Red Nose morning tea fundraiser, to raise funds for Red Nose Australia and their work on the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Boronia Library team member Tracey said the library regularly participated in the biggest morning tea fundraisers, however chose to do a different charity this year that is in need of support.
“The money we raise will be donated to the SIDS charity to support the families who have lost a baby, and to help with research efforts”, she said.
Those who attended the morning tea gave it their seal of approval, with some saying they should do the morning teas more regularly.
Tracey said this style of morning tea was a bit more fancy for the community to attend, with the food on offer supplied by Bakers Delight, and made fresh by some of the library staff.
She also said the morning tea was a great way for library and community members to come together, make new connections, and inspire conversations that might not be had otherwise.
Boronia Library raised $127 at their Red Nose morning tea.
Boronia Library team leader Jess Brown said she has personal connections to family members who have been impacted by SIDS, and said it was a terrible time for everyone.
“I’m sure we would have customers with their own experiences and memories too,” she said.
Ms Brown said their previous fundraisers have been great successes, and everyone enjoyed eating good food for a good cause.
“We are lucky to have a very caring and thoughtful community at Boronia,” she said.
SIDS is a devastating illness for families in the Knox municipality, as well as wider Australian families, and the fundraiser seeks to support their cause and give more support to families impacted by the disease.
In 2020, at least 25 deaths were attributed to SIDS, with 12 of those being in Victoria.
Red Nose CEO Keren Ludski said while significant progress has been made in reducing sudden infant deaths since the first Red Nose Day in 1988, and with the rate of SIDS in Australia decreasing by 80 percent, more research, education and support is desperately needed.
“More than 3,000 babies still die unexpectedly in Australia each year as a result of stillbirth, SIDS, Sudden Unexpected Death of an Infant and childhood accidents,” she said.
Boronia Library said the event had great support from the community, and is likely to become their new annual fundraiser.
