Children were out in force on Saturday to celebrate the Bendigo Toy Library bringing joy for 30 years.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Hundreds of children turned up to have fun with toys, children’s entertainment, door prizes, gift bags and face painting.
Marilyn Wallis was the Shire of Strathfieldsaye’s president in 1988 and was involved in meetings that kick-started the toy library. She still has some of the labels used for wine bottling, which parents used in fundraising efforts.
She recalls the need for a toy library it in the shire at the time, and that a group of community members came together to open a small operation at what was then the McDonald House School for Deaf Children.
Read more: New Years, new toys for Bendigo toy library
“It was a group of young mums who got together. They had some discussions with the Toy Library Association of Victoria and they wanted to commence something in Bendigo,” Mrs Wallis said.
In recent times she had become one of the many people who had donated toys to the library.
This year the toy library had expanded, taking on another operation in Long Gully.
There are currently 170 member families using the library’s collection.
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.