Coonabarabran Fire report

I include this article I wrote to our Members today for the interest of our International Followers.

It is amazing that all this is happening just 5 hours away from where I sit now ... with the temperature at 25 degrees C.

Our District is normally the provider of aid and funds .. not the receiver.

As  I write, the President of Coona Club (Hugh) and our Group Study Exchange Team leader (Bob)  have been asked to evacuate.

We wish them well  .....

Will up date as news comes to hand.

Brian

Coonabarabran and Tasmanian Fires and Rotary.     Tuesday 15th January 2013

Good afternoon 9650  Rotarians.

Yesterday and early this morning I fielded many calls from both the Public and Rotarians as to  how they can assist the residents of Coonabarabran after the fires that are still burning in the Area. 

The calls have come from well outside our District as well as local  9650 members.

Through PDG Jo Wilkin I can advise you that whilst assessment of the situation will obviously take a while and that fires are still burning around the National Park the best assistance we can offer will be financial.

As you will be aware our District has a disaster account already established for this purpose with the Holiday Coast Credit Union.  

The account details are

BSB 

                         (Please contact me for details as I do not want to post on the web)

Acct. 

Please refer to Rotary 9650 Disaster Relief in the description

(This fund is a permanent District Disaster Account  that we keep for these purposes. It can be activated for any emergency District wide on very short notice).

Please help us to always assist those in need appropriately.

At this stage there is no requirement for goods of any kind. Should this need be identified I will contact Clubs directly via Reg Pierce our Donations in Kind Chairman.

So blankets and furniture are not needed unless further advised.

Regarding the Tasmanian fires:

This same account can be used for this disaster as well. Just identify that this is where you would like the funds to go.

Greg Moran (Governor Nominee) is in Tasmania for Shelterbox Australia and is assessing the need for Boxes there. I have been keeping in touch with my counterpart Governor James Wilcox to see if there is any assistance we can specifically offer. The requirement will again be funds. His district 9830 which covers all of Tasmania has several fundraisers in action on the Island now. (James' phone details are in your District Directory if you have need to contact him.)

Should any Club wish to be involved in any of the Fire fundraisers for either our 9650 District or Tasmania please ensure you identify the end recipient of the donation and that your Club name is Prominently displayed on all promotional material and at the event.

There have been numerous attempts by unscrupulous individuals to capitalise on the misfortune of some of the fire victims.

From the radio calls and people who have taken the time to Google me up; Rotary is seen as an honest recipient of funds for charitable purposes. We must ensure this remains.

Attached is a note from Jo with her update and also some photos. The Clock tower is right in the center of Coona so you can easily see how close to town the fire was. 

A few minutes ago Jo also sent the photo below. The house in the photo was spared. The owner was a speaker at the Coonabarabran Conference. I think this may be the same one in today's SMH. 

I will keep Clubs informed as we go on.

DG Brian b

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