Tucked away over on Spring Street, a lot of locals don’t know much about the good work of Paula Townsend and the Bowen Community Technology Centre.

For two decades, Paula has played pretty much a lone hand running and managing vital computer services for local kids to do their homework on, and also a community centre for one of Orange’s most underprivileged areas.

Things got a little easier recently, though, when Rochelle Ashcroft from Ashcroft IGA’s Let’s Make Better (LMB) charity, handed over a cheque for $2000 to help with the centre’s running costs.

“This is our first donation, after last year we helped run a fundraiser for the centre with raffles and such,” Rochelle revealed. “We haven’t in the past known much about it, but I went over there and saw that Paula is doing some really good work for the community.”

She explained that, while this was their first gift, it’s unlikely to be their last.

“Just being there and talking to her was eye opening, I like what she is doing,” Rochelle enthused. “The donation, hopefully, is just the beginning... we’ll start there and try and keep going.”

Paula, who has pretty much operated the centre on a wing and a prayer since 2007, said that the donation was greatly appreciated.

“It was largely from raffles and direct donations down at the shops, with one woman who came in and just handed over $500, how amazing is that?” Paula said. “It’s wonderful how generous their customers are, with the $2000 donated to our operating costs the result,” she added.

Paula explained that getting some part-time assistance for what has been up to now a one-woman show, is the long-term aim.

“We’re trying to raise funds to get an extra person in here a few hours a week to help me run the centre; it’s been a pretty busy start to the year already, usually we’re a bit slow after school starts back, but it’s been good,” Paula said.

“Things are tight all over, but the LMB said that whenever they can fundraise for us, they’ll try and help,” she concluded.