ChillOut helping our furry friends

ChillOut 2009 will not only be supporting gay rights during the next festival, but raising money for a new project.

The festival hopes to raise over $12,000 for the Buddies for Wildlife project, an initiative which aims to teach primary school children to respect and care for the local wildlife and each other.

In partnership with Wildlife Victoria, Hepburn Wildlife Shelter and The Alannah and Madeline Foundation,

Buddies for Wildlife is an extension of the Better Buddies project, which ChillOut help fund last year, to reduce bullying in twelve Hepburn Shire primary schools.

ChillOut Festival fundraising coordinator Michael Brady said it is important the festival puts back into the local community.

-œWe try and help our local community and keep all the dollars in our Shire, instead of it going into a faceless charity he told Southern Star.

Fundraisers planned for this year’s festival include a petrol raffle, a charity auction with Dolly Diamond and the popular -œSlowest Lunch.

ChillOut has helped raise more than $75,000 over the past 11 years for many local causes including the hospital for women’s health care, primary schools, youth services and civic projects.