Natalie Di Paola
Ku-ring-gai council is working with Bendigo Bank to launch a personalised edition of Monopoly in September this year.
The unique game will feature places of interest from within Ku-ring-gai in place of streets, personalised tokens by major sponsors, Chance and Community Chest cards that reflect the Ku-ring-gai community as well as Bendigo Bank branded money and images from the winning entries of the Photography Competition.
Aside from being a wonderful keepsake, all profits made will also be donated to local charities. The expected profits will allow up to $15 000 to be donated to KYDS Youth Development Services, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter, Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury and St Lucy’s School. The remaining funds will create a “Community Chest” that can be shared with other local charitable organisations.
“It is wonderful that in our 15th year we are producing a unique keepsake of the community, for the community, and that it is also raising funds for four incredible charities,” says Sharon Franke, project organiser and Community Development Manager for the Turramurra and Lindfield Community Bank branches of Bendigo Bank.
“I think that is my favourite part of this project, it’s a fun and exciting way to raise some money for four local organisations that do incredible work in the community.”
Ku-ring-gai Monopoly are currently holding a photography competition for winners to feature on the game’s playing board and box. This exciting opportunity is available to local budding photographers aged 18 years and under. It closes on 5 March, and the finalists’ works will be displayed from 19 March to 4 April at the St Ives Shopping Village Gallery.
On the judging process, Ms Franke shared, “There will be a representative of the Bank on the judging panel, together with a representative from St Ives Shopping Village, who is both a sponsor of the game and is exhibiting our finalists images at their Gallery, and a professional photographer.”
“I don’t think we will really know exactly what we are looking for until we see it, an image that highlights the beauty and wonder of of what Ku-ring-gai has to offer.”
Ku-ring-gai Monopoly are also currently seeking six more sponsors that will have personalised tokens, their logos featured on a prime location square and a Chance or Community Chest card tailored to reflect their business.
Current sponsors of the event include the Turramurra and Lindfield Community Bank branches, Burns and Burns Real Estate, St Ives Shopping Village, Northside Dental & Implant Centre and Woolworths.
The special edition of the game was inspired by the Rotary Club in Mosman who created their own personalised edition of the game.
Whilst Ms Franke admits that they have no plans to do an Australia-wide edition of Monopoly, they would be “happy to share what we have learnt and will learn along the way with someone else.”
The game will be available for pre sale throughout June and July before it’s official release in September.
For further information on participating in the ‘Celebrating our beautiful Ku-ring-gai community and environment’ photography competition or how to get your business involved, see kuringgaimonopoly.com.au.
