Bushfire Relief and Recovery Efforts
The Rotary Clubs of Bega, Merimbula and Pambula are working together to support our fire ravaged Shire. Activities to date and underway are:
Provision of vouchers for purchase of school shoes for children from families impacted directly or indirectly by the fires – in excess of 70 vouchers have been issued. Thank you to some wonderful teachers and staff for assisting with this process.
New shoes for some of the kids at Quaama Public School
In early January Rotary members helped establish a fund to purchase and arrange delivery of fodder to farmers in the Cobargo area. They continue to be involved in management of the fund which has successfully arranged deliveries allowing stock to remain in the area. Our clubs have contributed directly to this fund.
A trailer similar to the one shown below has been ordered. The trailer will be made available to BlazeAid to assist their efforts, not only to achieve their main objective – the clearing and re-fencing of properties in the Bega Valley Shire - but also in providing front line hands-on assistance to those affected where necessary. BlazeAid has a large group of volunteers currently camped at Cobargo but has committed to remaining in the Shire for as long as it takes to finish the mammoth job ahead, likely to take months.
At the conclusion of the deployment, it is envisaged the trailer will be repurposed as a fire fighting trailer to remain within the local community. Discussions are underway as to how Rotary may be able to share in some of the catering requirements for the BlazeAid volunteers and otherwise assist their efforts.
Rotary has been assisting the Social Justice Advocates of the Sapphire Coast in collecting donations of kettles, toasters, microwave ovens, small fridges and washing machines for use by families recovering from the fires.
Also assisting with transport of donated caravans. Rotary members travelled to Melbourne this week to collect two caravans which have already been allocated to people who have lost homes, one in the Kiah area and one in the Quaama area.
Lifeboats for people in the Bega Valley Shire
A number of generators are on order to provide power as people strive to re-establish their lives and homes on properties that are likely to remain without power for some time.
