Community
16 May, 2024
Generous donation supports those grieving
A DONATION of $52,250 has supported the installation of a new rotunda to shelter those grieving the loss of a loved one.
A new rotunda has been installed at the Terang cemetery thanks to a donation from the Noorat-based C, J & B Glennen Charitable Foundation covering the full cost.
The rotunda was officially opened last Friday with around 60 members of the community in attendance.
Terang Cemetery Trust secretary Glenn Milroy said the project to build the rotunda had become a priority after seeing the difficult conditions a local family faced when saying goodbye to a loved one.
“The weather one day was what you would call dreadful; freezing cold, windy and pouring rain in probably the worst weather of the year,” he said.
“It was obvious that in conditions like that, we needed to do something.
“People had nowhere to go before or after the service.”
The Terang Cemetery Trust was, at the time, in the process of extending the lawn area and digitising records on a new website, which had tied up funds.
However, a conversation between Terang Cemetery Trust member Joyce Holmes and Jack Glennen and Maria Bohan after the death of family member Con Glennen in May 2022 saw a funding opportunity arise.
Jack, along with Con and Bernadette Glennen, are the namesakes behind the C, J & B Foundation.
Jack and his niece Mrs Bohan learned about the trust’s desire to build the rotunda, and could not shake the idea of what it could mean to the community at a time when they were preparing to more actively launch their charitable foundation.
The Noorat-based Glennen family has been one of the south west’s most prominent dairy farming families, and is in the process of formally launching the charity as a way of giving back.
“The need stayed with Jack and I as we drove back to Dalvui Lane,” Mrs Bohan said.
“We kept talking about it over the weeks.
“I spoke with the trust and asked them to come visit Jack at Mount View Aged Care Facility to talk some more about the rotunda.”
Jack and Mrs Bohan were “blown away” with the detail and planning the committee had done at their meeting, and it was only a few weeks later the trust would receive a phone call.
The Glennen family had no hesitation in supporting a project which could provide comfort to families during the time it is needed most.
“We are truly grateful to Jack Glennen and the members of the Glennen Charitable Foundation for supporting the trust with this project,” Mr Milroy said.
“Without their support this would not have been possible.
“It should be noted that Jack and the foundation go about their business with no fanfare, no grandstanding, no bells and whistles; they just get on with the job of helping people and organisations.”
Jack Glennen was at the cemetery last Friday to officially open the rotunda.
He said the project had reminded him of a phrase he learned during a conversation with his nephew, who has spent 30 years in Africa.
“They have a great saying over there – ‘we are, because they were’,” Mr Glennen said.
“You can see the relevance here because they were, and we are.
“It was a pleasure to be able to help with this.”
Mrs Bohan was overcome with emotion at the opening when speaking about the pride she and her family had in supporting the project.
“I don’t live in the region anymore but when I’m driving down and I see the clouds in the distance I know this is where I am from,” she said.
“We are honoured to support this project, and our region’s history.”
To learn more about the C J and B Glennen Charitable Foundation visit https://cjbglennencharitablefoundation.com.au
