Yass Valley SPIN Foundation Turns Four

Tuesday the 4th of July marked the fourth anniversary of The Spin Foundation’s conception, with members preparing for the fourth anniversary of the first SPIN event, Pyjama Day, before any official celebrations. SPIN President Barry O’Mara spoke to the Yass Valley Times about how the SPIN Foundation has grown over the last four years, how the community has gotten involved during this time, as well as discussed Pyjama Day (Expected to be held on August 11, 2023) and its importance to the group. 

 

“We officially formed the foundation on the 4th of July, it was Independence Day so we would remember it. Our first event was on the 9th, which was a Pyjama day. We’ve got pyjama day coming up again this year, so once we’ve finished that we’ll get together and celebrate the 4th anniversary after as well as a 4-year anniversary of the first event”, explained Barry.

The SPIN Foundation began as a branch of the Yass Lions Club, and still exists under the Lions Club umbrella, with all SPIN Foundation members also associated with the Yass Lions Club as members, as well as covered by insurance costs. While separate in events and individual finances, SPIN and Lions still work with one another and provide support. 

 

After being secured by Yass Lions insurance, those who were involved in founding the SPIN Foundation spent a year gathering funds, eventually creating the SPIN Foundation. 

 

“As a group, we would go out and do functions not being advertised as SPIN events, so we raised money from doing barbeques and those funds were used to form the financial running of the foundation”, said Barry

SPIN’s first community event would be Pyjama Day on the 9th of July, 2019, an annual tradition still carried on four years over. Schools across the Yass Valley, as well as certain businesses and SPIN members, participate in the fundraiser by offering gold coin donations, which are then collected by SPIN members wearing their pyjamas of choice. 

 

“We invite – and have been accepted by – all the schools in the shire, so they are all participating this year which is really great, including Murrumbateman Public School and all the pre-schools, and the town itself normally jumps on board with some businesses, they then wear their pyjamas for the day too”, said Barry. 

 

The SPIN Foundation prides itself on its relationship with the Yass community, a relationship that has remained steadfast and grown throughout the past four years, expanding further across the valley with greater patient bases and continued business support. 

 

 “The community involvement has always been there. When we first commenced we went to a lot of businesses and they came on board straight away”, said Barry, 

 

“We were lucky that the community, the business community in particular, embraced the idea of what we were about when they came on board and helped set up the foundation.” 

“A lot more people are aware of who we are and what we’re about, particularly in the villages side of Yass. We’re now starting to help patients in Binalong, Bowning, Murrumbateman, etc, which is a good thing, that was our key goal, to spread over the valley” 

 

Barry extends The SPIN Foundation’s gratitude to the Yass Valley and promises more major events in the pipeline ahead, as well as a continuation in supporting those in need across the Valley. 

 

“Thank you to the general community, for getting on board and becoming part of the journey with us, and to the businesses in particular for their ongoing support, to the LIONS club for making themselves available, a big thanks to them”, said Barry

 

Griffin Palen