Eight hundred secondary school singers will benefit from a $10,000 Otago Community Trust donation, which will help the New Zealand Choral Federation to host the secondary schools choirs competition finals in Dunedin.
Regional secondary school choir competitions are now being held throughout the country, and the top 20 choirs will compete in the Dunedin Town Hall in the event, known as the Big Sing.
The finals will be held over three days in August, finishing with a gala performance.
Event organiser Carol Randall said the event focused on the positive aspects of youth and was expected to attract considerable support, particularly from out of town.
The federation was grateful to the trust and the donation enabled it to host the event in the town hall, she said.
The New Zealand Salmon Anglers Association also benefited, with a $5000 donation enabling the purchase of 30,000 worth of salmon smolt to be released into Otago Harbour.
The lack of suitable rivers meant the salmon living in the harbour were unable to spawn, so an annual release of smolt helped sustain a salmon population there.
The trust donated $64,000 to 17 organisations throughout Otago last month.
Other donations. - Alexandra: Rural Education and Activities Programme - Central Otago, $3000; Schizophrenia Fellowship Central Otago, $8500.
Dunedin: Amputee Society of Otago and Southland Inc, $500; Dunedin Midwinter Celebrations Trust, $5000; Dunedin Rhododendron Festival Trust, $5000; Grow New Zealand Inc - Otago Grow Centre, $500; Kaikorai Grays Sport and Travel Inc, $1000; Keep Dunedin Beautiful Committee, $2000; Otago Symphonic Band, $7000; Spring Chamber Music, $1000; Stroke Foundation Southern Region Inc, $7500; Wellington Museums Trust, $2500.
Ranfurly: Cambrian Valley Trust, $1000.
Roxburgh: Roxburgh Pioneer Generation Brass Inc, $2500; Teviot Valley Community Christian Trust, $2000.
