Hi Fellow Rotarians.
Our community team has been a bit busy over the Christmas break supporting the various agencies and helping a few individuals. I finally found homes for the rest of the 52 cartons of clothes I had in my Garage although it is starting to fill up again.
We keep making new contacts in the corporate world and the various support agencies and social workers in the area.
Q: What do you get when you put boxes of mixed ladies, with sum boxes of mixed men ????
A: Mixed up Rotarians !!
We were fortunate to be introduced to Bridie from the Just Group (Just Jeans and other brands). On Wednesday, my mate Phil, Rob de Vries, and I went to the Just Group in St Kilda and picked up 27 cartons of men's and women's clothes (dresses, tops, pants, jackets, shorts tee shirts and plus an assortment of jeans) and dropped them of at Mario's.
On Friday we had a community working bee at Marios. Mario, Jeannette, Sue, Rob, Pam, Julie, Jill, and I spent 2 ½ hours sorting out all the clothes and repacking them according to size, sex and type ready for distribution. Next week a portion of them will go to the Mercy Hospital mental patient wing along with a few cartons of underwear.
The wing holds 50 patients who can stay up to a month. They normally come in with just the clothes they are wearing so when the hospital washes their clothes, they just must sit around in a hospital gown. These clothes will give them some dignity.
"Trust me, they'll ride up with wear" Well that's what Jill reckons anyway !!!
We reached out to Givit for some back-to-school supplies mainly for the children from families who are victims of domestic violence. We already have 100 x 128 page exercise books and 25 insulated lunch packs which include a 500ml drink bottle on their way with more to come. Jill and Sue have contacted the Wyndham Park PS social worker and will be meeting with the vice Principal in the next 2 weeks
We have also contacted Safe Futures and Wyndham City Council to ascertain where and how we can help.
The boxes weren't the only things that were wonky after Friday's work out. (Pam and Sue holding the boxes up, .............. or was it the other way around) :) Ed.
The Australia Day Manor Lakes BBQ is still going ahead. I will write up COVID and Safe Food Handling practices that must be foolowed to comply with the rules, regulations and requirements imposed by the council.
We have the Gold Coin donation tin ready and will be sponsoring the Mercy Hospital Mental Patients Wing to provide them with some Occupational Therapy items to help them pass away the time.
Mario will contact all the volunteers to give you all the details. If any of you want to help we can break up the shifts and while you are not working you can wander around and enjoy the gathering.
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