Griffith City Council's COVID relief grants have been praised for helping community groups recover from lockdown.
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Around $100,000 was set to be distributed by council, with groups able to apply for up to $5000 each - so far $60,000 has been handed out.
The Griffith Feral Joggers were one of the groups which received $5000, and president Ron Anson said the money meant it was able to host the Half on the Hill marathon and return to their regular weekly runs.
"One of our bigger fundraisers is the Bacchus fun run, and we had to call that off at Easter," Mr Anson said.
"So the grant helped provide money that we would have gotten from Bacchus on the Lake."
The club bought temperature readers, as well as gloves and masks for people doing the checking. This year's Half on the Hill attracted runners from Leeton, Hillston and Junee.
"Some of them were so pleased that the event ran because everything else had been cancelled," Mr Anson said.
"It was a game changer, it gave us the freedom to do something."
Mr Anson said the extra funds also help secure some portable toilets for the Half on the Hill event, after vandals targeted the public facilities at Ted Scobie Oval.
The Yenda Blueheelers also received $5000 and club president Sam Panarello said it was used to train members in the necessary COVID safety rules.
"We were able to get ourselves COVID compliant for training sessions and game days," Mr Panarello said.
The Blueheelers took their under 16s and under 18s teams to play rugby league with Group Nine.
"I don't think many players missed games, they turned up each week wanting to play," Mr Panarello said.
The club wanted to maintain its player base during the pandemic and without the grant, they wouldn't have been able to get on the field.
Meanwhile, Griffith's Aged Care Support Service used their $3000 grant to get people active.
Aged care support worker Yvette Pastro said after six months in lockdown, some people had lost skills and abilities they had because they weren't being active.
The pandemic meant their full exercise and social program was put on hold.
"The change for the people we worked with is huge, some lost their balance, others confidence in being able to drive a car, as well as flexibility and strength that they had," Mrs Pastro said.
A number of hiking poles were bought which gave residents the chance to hike around the city in small groups.
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Declan Rurenga
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
