This letter of appreciation is to again thank the Ballarat area community for your wonderful support of the recently concluded 3BA Christmas Appeal. When the appeal was officially launched on November 2nd, 2017, the objective of the appeal was to again attract sufficient donations of cash, food items and toys to ensure our four major welfare agencies and charities, Uniting Ballarat, Anglicare, the Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul Society would be in a position to provide the necessary level of support to the rapidly escalating number of local families who would require assistance at Christmas. These families are suffering extreme hardship with many being left with no alternative but to turn to our welfare and charities for much needed support. Christmas can also be an emotional time for many families, but for those who are less fortunate it can also be a very sad, disappointing and meaningless occasion. I am pleased to advise that as a result of the outstanding generosity of the Ballarat area community, the objective of the appeal was achieved, with the needs of every family and person requiring assistance and support from the welfare agencies and charities being addressed in a totally satisfactory manner by the many dedicated staff and volunteers at these agencies. Whilst the result achieved by the 3BA Christmas Appeal is very pleasing, the substantial increase in the number of disadvantaged and battling families who required assistance is of major concern. Sadly, this number is escalating very rapidly and is placing extreme pressure on the resources of the welfare agencies and charities which our appeal supports. It was for this reason that it was essential for the appeal to again be very successful, and as the Ballarat area community has done for many years, your support of the appeal was truly outstanding. The generous and caring Ballarat community again ensured the success of the appeal, and your generosity played a key role in giving all of our less fortunate families something to look forward to and enjoy at Christmas. Thank you for your wonderful support.