The Portarlington Golf Club has given away or helped raise more than $200,000 in the financial year just finished.

The club directly donated $98,092 to members, charities, sporting clubs and community organisations on the North Bellarine.

It also helped similar groups raise - or save – a total of $105,367 by providing facilities, waiving fees or providing the tools and audiences to bring their own charitable initiatives to life.

“For example, many know of the popularity of our member draws and spinning wheel giveaways on Friday nights,” chief executive Michael Phillips said.

“But on that same night each week, we’ve managed to help our Community Raffle partners raise what we think is an extraordinary $34,995 with the help of our friends at Panorama.

“It’s groups like the CFA, SES, Food Assist 3223 and so many more that the club - along with the generosity of our members and guests - has really been able to provide for that we hadn’t previously been able to.”

“We’ve done little things like donate the use and staffing of our buses to the Port Primary School, right up to the big things like being the key backer of the Portarlington Mussel Festival that brings thousands of visitors to town each January.”

The club has been the backbone of many large-scale charity golf days, most notably the E.J. Whitten Foundation, Feed Me Bellarine and the Longest Day in Golf, which alone raised a spectacular $15,000 for the Cancer Council.

And the club has just finalised this year’s Community Contribution Fund grants that will total more than $14,000 to assist various community projects, including backing the fledgling Portarlington women’s football teams.

“We’re rapt to be heavily involved with some of these bigger projects, but we’re equally happy to contribute to a whole series of other clubs and events, such as the Celtic Festival, the North Bellarine Film Festival and the Bellarine Agricultural Show,” Phillips said.

“And we’re delighted, with the support of Stockdale & Leggo, to be a key player in the only catwalk fashion show in Portarlington that not only highlights our local fashion houses, but has been a valuable contributor towards its goal of fighting the scourge of domestic violence against women.

“We like to feel we’re engaged with our community and I hope that comes across, not only in these finances, but in terms of our approachability as a supporter or host of so many events.”