Kindness repaid

By Melissa Meehan
So when raging waters wreaked havoc in Queensland, the Bayles CFA knew exactly what they had to do – return the kindness they felt in their darkest hours.
Next month the Bayles CFA is holding a Basket and Bucket Flood Relief Drive and the items collected will be delivered to families in need in a small town called Murphy’s Creek, not far from Toowooomba, Queensland.
CFA member Dinah Huyskens said the Bayles CFA worked with the Black Saturday relief centre and the support they received from Queensland alone was enormous.
“The original idea was to payback the Queensland people who donated so much,” Ms Huyskens said.
“We had truckloads from Queensland with horse stuff, food and everything and it is important for people of this area to give back to them in their time of need.
“But, we also understand the need in Victoria, and if we have enough we want to send a truckload to Queensland and one to Northern Victoria, too.”
She said the brigade chose Murphy’s Creek because it was a small town, about the size of Kooweerup that was badly affected, as badly as Toowoomba, but not publicised.
Ms Huyskens is appealing to people in the community to donate goods, either by basket, bucket or item to the flood drive.
“We understand it can be quite expensive to fill a laundry basket, so that’s why we’ve included buckets in the drive,” she said.
“But we’ve already had community groups, sporting teams and streets put together a basket between them.
“Or people can drop off a few items in baskets at drop off points around town.”
Items needed include air fresheners, garbage bags, tea towels, disinfectant, kitchen utensils, bathroom items, cleaning products, gloves, pegs, laundry items, non-perishable food, blea-ch, personal items, first aid items, towels and insect repellent.
“People are more than welcome to put together children’s baskets with toys and clothing or something for pets, too,” she said.
Donations can be dropped off at the Bayles CFA 627 Kooweerup-Longwarry Road Bayles, Tyre Power Pakenham, Terry’s Discounts Pakenham and the Berwick Church of Christ between 10am and 4pm on Friday 11, Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 February.
A truck courtesy of Booths Transport will deliver items to Queensland and brigade members will deliver to Victorian towns.