The Penola Lions Club recently received Federal Government funding to establish a Driver Reviver site in Penola. The funding will allow the club to purchase a fully fitted-out food catering van and a digital road sign.

Driver Reviver co-ordinator and long-term local Ray Haines said the Penola Lions Club was seeking a suitable location for the site, which must have access to toilets, electricity, off-road car parking, adequate space, undercover tables and be located close to Penola.

Mr Haines said potential sites included the Penola War Memorial Park and Greenrise Lake, but they were seeking feedback on other possible sites. Volunteers from the Penola Lions Club and the Penola Leo’s Club will manage the site during its operation over long weekends, school holidays and local events. Mr Haines said members were hoping the site would be up and running by the 2021 Christmas school holidays.

“I have seen young people’s lives lost on the highway,” Mr Haines said. “I’m very conscious of road safety. “I think the Driver Reviver project is something that will assist the community with road safety and road safety awareness.”

Mr Haines also hopes the site will increase member numbers within the Penola Leo’s Club. “Part of what we hope to achieve with the Driver Reviver site is encouraging young people to join Leo’s and to assist us and become more aware of road safety,” he said. People are encouraged to assist the Lions Club and Leo’s Club during the process of the project and to fill out the survey form to assist with finding a suitable site, which can be found on the Lions Club of Penola Inc. Facebook page.

Contact Ray Haines at rahaines@live.com.au for more information.