By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Corporate Social Responsibility Award
Sponsor: Macpherson Kelley
Won by: Sandown Greyhound Racing Club
Nominees: The Footcare Clinic, KLM Spatial, Polyflor, Stucchi Australia, Dandenong Club, Sandown Greyhound Racing Club
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Sandown Greyhound Racing Club was first past the post for its generosity during Victoria’s Covid lockdowns.
The 2021 Corporate Social Responsibility Award winner has been cooking 200 fresh meals a week for charity during the rolling 20-month crisis.
Its meals have been provided to charities Servants of the Two Hearts and Reaching Out Because We Can to help numerous people in need.
When the first lockdown struck in March 2020, Sandown Greyhounds’ chef created 1000 charitable meals from a surplus of food, business manager Bernadette Dillon said.
“We had all of this food that would otherwise have gone to waste.
“So we contacted Greater Dandenong Council and they got me in touch with Noble Park Community Centre, and in turn the two charities.”
The club also runs a Greyhound Adoption Program to re-home retired racing greyhounds.
Sandown Greyhounds, with its well-appointed Henry Harrison Grandstand, hosts about 1200 races a year for crowds of about 5000.
It recently staged the world-renowned greyhound race, $600,000 Melbourne Cup.
The award was presented as part of the Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce Business Awards held at Palmyra Hall, Dandenong on 2 December.
The category was sponsored by Macpherson Kelley.
