EdenLea sponsors Buderim Foundation - 16 October, 2009

EdenLea on Buderim joins inaugural sponsors the Buderim Pharmacy and the Buderim Chronicle in a three-year sponsorship of the Buderim Foundation.

EdenLea Director David Hawtrey believes sponsorship of the Foundation is the best way for his family’s company to give back to the community.

“Buderim and its community have provided us with the ideal location for business and family life for more than 40 years,” he said.

“Sponsoring the Foundation allows us to give back to the community in ways that reach far beyond our own industry.

“Although it’s a fairly young organisation, I am impressed with the calibre of people involved in the Foundation. They have the grant-giving process in place and the benefits are obvious.

“The Scouts, Guides, Buderim Lions, Buderim State School, Foote Sanctuary and a number of other organisations have received grants for projects which benefit the community. A number of EdenLea residents have family in town and they benefit from the grants being provided.

“Local residents like Keith Neuendorf and Alistair Cook of the Buderim Pharmacy should be commended for supporting the concept of a community foundation right from the start.”

The Hawtrey family’s business was the vision of David’s father, Charles who recognised the benefits of resident-funded retirement villages.

Establishing Australia’s first in Buderim came about after a chance meeting. Returning from England in the late 1960s, a couple on the ship told Charles about the ideal ginger growing weather in a beautiful place called Buderim in Queensland. Charles decided what was good enough for ginger must be good for people.

In 1967, Charles started developing Buderim Gardens Retirement Village. David joined his father in the family business in 1987 and in 1991 they bought the first parcel of land that would become EdenLea. Over the next 15 years, 130 homes were built on approximately 15 acres of land to develop what is now EdenLea on Buderim.