Carolyn Blair is collecting manchester and other household items for families who’ve lost everything in flood-ravaged Queensland towns Roma and Mitchell. 78414 Picture: Casey Neill
By Casey Neill
THE Tecoma and Upwey communities are rallying behind Queensland flood victims who’ve lost everything.
Tecoma’s Carolyn Blair is leading the charge for goods, electricians, storage and transport to aid Roma and Mitchell, inspired by a friend from her school days.
She hadn’t seen Steve Osborne for 30 years when they reconnected at a school reunion late last year.
He now lives in Roma where floodwater, silt, and mud inundated more than 440 homes on 3 February. The deluge also hit surrounding communities, including Mitchell, extremely hard.
“Our goal is to provide the basics back to families desperate to return to simple living,” Ms Blair said.
“Time is absolutely of the essence because whilst there are a number of cash flood appeals occurring in Queensland and nationally, red tape is greatly delaying the distribution of these funds.
“Most of the people don’t have flood insurance so they’ve lost the lot.”
Ms Blair said this was the area’s third major flood in four years so insurance companies no longer provided cover, and more than 200 Roma residents remained displaced.
The communities need refrigerators, washing machines, clothes dryers, televisions, microwaves, manchester, mattresses and beds, dining tables and chairs, wardrobes and drawers, and small household appliances.
“The aim was to have 20 washing machines, 20 dryers, 20 fridges,” she said.
“Hopefully there will be more because there’s a lot more families that have been affected.”
The 44-year-old said Mr Osborne had been working tirelessly to help his community but now needed a hand. He organised Toll Logistics to donate trucks and drivers to transport goods from Melbourne to the Red Cross and Salvation Army distribution centres in Roma.
Ms Blair and her team lined up a donation storage point in Spotswood but are appealing for another in the eastern or outer eastern suburbs. She also needs volunteers to collect and transport collected goods to storage sites.
“We are also seeking the services of electricians willing and able to complete testing and tagging of any electrical goods, as electricians are in very short supply in Roma and Mitchell,” she said.
The Upwey-Tecoma Football and Netball Club has contacted all members for donations and has also called on the Yarra Valley Mountain District Football and Netball League for support.
“The community’s been fantastic,” Ms Blair said. “It’s been amazing. I never dreamt that little old me would be doing something like this at all.”
To lend a hand, call Carolyn Blair on 0413 880 776 or 9754 7687 or email tiger1a@bigpond.com.
