Sunbury School of Calisthenics is looking to expand the club with a free come and try month after receiving a community grant.
The club found out on May 2, that it was one of 104 sporting organisations to receive a grant from the 2022-23 Change Our Game Community Activation Grants Program.
President of the non-for profit community based club, Antoinette Ciantar, said everyone in the club was over the moon.
“I was home when I received the email… I was very surprised because we apply for grants but there’s no guarantee we are going to get them.
“We were over the moon.”
Ms Ciantar said the $4597 grant will go towards holding free come and try sessions in February next year.
“[We will] probably have five classes a week for 3.5 year olds and upwards,” she said.
“The reason [for the sessions] is that our numbers have declined rapidly since COVID… [they] were previously about 80 members and have dropped down to about 50.
“A lot of people didn’t return back to our sport and a lot of people went to other sports… [we’re] finding it really hard to get our numbers up again.”
Ms Ciantar said the club is almost 40 years old and is about community engagement and keeping females active.
“Calisthenics is basically a team sport and it’s all about fun, fitness and friendship… it’s about getting females active in the community.
“We’re celebrating our 40th year [as a club] this year… we’ve been around for quite a while.”
Ms Ciantar said more information about the come and try days will be shared closer to February and if anyone is interested in joining the club they can contact the club.
Details: 95394349 or bit.ly/3Lw0nzk
Zoe Moffatt