February 9, 2018
A dinner will be held in Murgon on Friday night to thank the last of the BlazeAid volunteers who have been helping local properties clean up after the Boxing Day storms.
As the word spread, a small army of 31 registered volunteers turned up to help, with an average age of 67 years!
They worked on 36 farms, with only 10 registered properties yet to be finalised, and cleared 46km of fences with a total work value of $70,000.
The Boxing Day storms ripped along a narrow corridor from Kumbia to west of Murgon, leaving devastation in their wake.
Acting Mayor Kathy Duff quickly asked BlazeAid if they could offer assistance to farmers to clean up their properties.
Within a week of receiving Cr Duff’s call, BlazeAid had volunteers camped at Murgon’s PCYC ready and willing to help where needed.
“In the aftermath of storms such as this, people are often overwhelmed with just the sheer magnitude of work that needs to be done, and ‘where do I start’ is often the first thought that comes to mind,” Cr Duff said.
She said people had been able to get back on their feet with the help of BIEDO, BlazeAid, retired rural chaplain Neville Radecker, Graham Houses’s Linda O’Hare, and Council’s Local Recovery Group.
Murgon local Joan Adams grasped the epic challenge to feed the BlazeAid volunteers with both hands.
She was supported by a number of local community groups and individuals who came in to cook meals and give donations of fresh food.
Friday’s dinner will be held at the Murgon PCYC where the community will farewell the last of the BlazeAid volunteers before they head off to their next assignment.
“In the aftermath of these storms, the support given to affected residents from the local community groups and individuals, has just highlighted and reinforced my belief that we as an entire community are at our most resilient and powerful,” Mayor Keith Campbell said.
“With the support of volunteer organisations such as BlazeAid and individuals, we have been able to help those affected get back on the road to normality.”
