Papalia (Planken) Family Fund

Melinda Planken and husband Anthony Papalia with their son Sebastian

“We are in a position now that we can give back, and I think having been exposed to the good work of

the Geelong Community Foundation, you realise how much it’s needed in our community.” – Melinda Planken

Having seen the power of giving to the Geelong Community Foundation through her professional life, it was a natural progression for Melinda Planken and husband Anthony Papalia to create the Papalia (Planken) Family Fund with the Geelong Community Foundation.

“I work at Muirfield Financial Services, so that was my original introduction to the Geelong Community Foundation,” explains Melinda. She is Managing Director and a Certified Financial Planner at Muirfield Financial Services, which is a Geelong-based financial planning firm that was founded by Geelong Community Foundation Board Director and former Chairperson, Hayden Torney.

Melinda sees the value in educating young people on the importance of supporting the community. “My husband and I have a three-year-old little boy, so we think it’s really important for younger generations to be involved at such an early age – that exposure to giving back. We really see that as being part of his life as well.”

Being involved with the Foundation over the years has given Melinda a powerful perspective on life. “We can often get caught up in our own worlds of wants and desires, but the reality is that we’re very fortunate – we’ve got everything we need. So to be able to then give back, I think that’s really important.”

Melinda has also been actively involved in the Geelong Community Foundation’s P500 program since its inception as both a donor and Committee member.