While regular customers at the Bunnings hardware store might be bemoaning the loss of the sausage sizzle every weekend due to the coronavirus it is set to cost a community group a drop in funding.
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Barbecue revenue is one of the bigger contributors to funding for Fusion Central West, a Christian youth and community development organisation in Orange.
If it continues until the end of the year that will be $6000-$7000.
- Bev Rankin, Fusion Central West
However, with the coronavirus restrictions on social distancing, the group's Community Development Co-ordinator Bev Rankin, said the money that helped run its programs would be missed.
"One of our concerns is financial. If it continues until the end of the year that will be $6000-$7000," she said.
Mrs Rankin said Fusion had cut its face-to-face meetings and turned to online programs.
"Our community drop-in centre has closed so we're not doing that," she said.
Mrs Rankin said programs for pre-schoolers including games and crafts would be put online as would some of their youth programs.
A parenting program, Families, would also switch to going online.
The group also runs outings and trips to the snow for young people but that has had to be stopped for the duration of the pandemic.
Mrs Rankin said Fusion was also selling a van they had used for the outings, but was looking to replace it.
She said she was concerned for people isolating alone in Orange. "[Studies have shown] face-to-face meetings release more endorphins than receiving a text message," she said.
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