Rumour has it the Bega Girl Guide Hall hasn't had a new lick of paint since '72.
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The building was transported from the Snowy Mountains Scheme and was most likely an entertainment venue, hinted at by the small stage at the back of the hall that was built straight on tin.
According to some of its original users, the hall has remained mostly the same since it was opened in the 1970s - but thanks to a dedicated team of Girl Guide leaders and the generosity of the local community, the hall has been set to undergo a big transformation.
Secretary of the Girl Guides parent support group Amanda Bastian said the new space would be a chance to uplift the girls and give them the best possible venue to "grow and become independent young women".
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Inspirations Paint in Bega was approached to see if paint could be donated to assist with the renovations, but owner John Watkin said he wanted to do better than that.
"Like most community organisations, they run on the smell of an oily rag."
Mr Watkin helped get Dulux Australia on board, which donated paint and sent down four of its representatives from Ulladulla, Canberra, and Fyshwick to help repaint the hall this week.
The troops were also rallied around the Bega Shire, with local painters David Carpenter from Sapphire Painting and two of his tradesmen, as well as Jacob Muthsam donating a day's labour to get the hall painted. Painter Gavin Martin also donated scaffolding.
"It's a community effort, we've all come together to help out an organisation that does great work... I really appreciate what the Girl Guides do helping turn young girls into young women and teaching them all the things about life, it's a fantastic cause, so why not help?" Mr Watkin said.
Work began to prepare the hall for renovation about three weeks ago, but the painting blitz was scheduled to be finished over the next couple of days.
Ms Bastian said Mitre 10 Bega also donated yellow tongue floor sheets, and parents of Girl Guides donated money to help with the renovation.
Thanks to a Bushfire Recovery Fund grant of $6000 granted to the Bega group by Girl Guides NSW, the carpet would also be replaced.
Guide leader and district manager Anne Moore said the carpet had only been changed a couple of times since the hall was placed on Spindler Street in the early '70s, but this would be the first time the hall would have brand new carpet.
She said it was originally a patchwork with off bits of carpet sewn together, before the hall inherited a used carpet from an old Centrelink building - which was the carpet that lined the hall until recently.
A fantastic new kitchen, toilet, and windows would also appear in the renovations, thanks to a $29,000 grant provided by the NSW Government's Community Building Partnership.
Ms Bastian said the Bega and surrounds cohort was made up of around 30 girls aged from four years old to high school age.
She said the organisation taught young women and girls valuable life skills as they grew into respectful members of the community by gaining confidence in their voices and being in service to their community through fundraising.
Ms Bastian and her sister were both Girl Guides growing up, and so it was extra special for her to give the hall a new lease on life for the current cohorts of young women and girls.
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