The Bega Valley arm of the Boomerang Bags initiative has taken another step towards its dream of turning the Bega Valley Shire into a plastic-free zone with the launch of its first crowd-funding campaign.
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The 90 day campaign – ending May 6 – kicked off last Sunday February 7, with a target to raise $10,000.
Coordinator for the South Coast hub of Boomerang Bags Dorte Planert said the campaign aims to raise vital funds for the manufacture of the hand-made shopping bags intended to replace predominantly single-use plastic bags throughout the shire.
“Our aim is to stockpile 2000 bags before we launch them, so that our sewers don’t get stressed out and we can keep up with demand,” Ms Planert said.
The crowdfunding drive invites a range of donations to be used for many different objectives, Ms Planert explained.
“An $85 donation will service a sewing machine, $190 will reimburse printer ink already used for advertising and for instructions and flyers, $250 will fund a school presentation by anti plastics’ educator Anthony Hill, and $500 will host a family trivia night by Anthony Hill,” Ms Planert said.
Ms Planert said that a small army of “eager sewers” are now gathering regularly to sew bags, stamp, cut and iron, with residents from Tura Beach, Merimbula, Bega, Pambula, Quaama, Kalaru, Frogs Hollow, Wyndham and Tathra among them.
“Our Boomerang Bag community support network is growing beyond my wildest dreams,” Ms Planert said on Monday February 8.
“We even receive fan mail, congratulating us on our idea and effort.
“And we also have requests for finished bags.”
Ms Planert wanted to “give praise” to the first person who made a donation to the Boomerang Bags’ crowdfunding campaign: owner of Eden’s Sprout Cafe, Karen Lott, with an order of 20 bags.
"I guess we should launch Boomerang Bags in Eden then?” Ms Planert questioned immediately.
Ms Planert said she hopes small supermarkets such as Tathra and Cobargo will be the first to adopt the new fabric Boomerang Bags, but counsels all supermarkets in the valley to offer alternative cotton bags and paper bags at self serve counters.
Ms Planert said approximately 45 Boomerang Bags are now made, but more volunteers are urgently needed to achieve the 2000 bag target.
The next Boomerang Bay sewing workshops will be held on three consecutive Fridays on February 26, March 4 and March 11 from 10am to 1pm at Bega’s Women’s Resource Centre.
Ms Planert also encouraged all to attend Anthony Hill’s big family trivia night at 6.30pm on March 19 at Merimbula’s Club Sapphire.
To donate to the Boomerang Bag crowdfunding campaign go to: