August 29, 2018
Farming families in drought-stricken parts of Queensland are being given a helping hand thanks to the efforts of a Nanango resident and the local Lions Club.
Trina Lucas describes herself as “a crazy, passionate person”.
Watching the TV news, she felt the NSW drought was getting all the publicity and wanted to do something to help Queensland farmers.
“Queensland has been in drought for even longer,” she told southburnett.com.au
Trina said she felt strongly for drought-stricken farmers because she grew up on a farm near Tansey, and her family on both sides were farmers themselves.
“I wanted to help them but not by donating money,” she said.
“You can never be sure where the money is going or if it is being eaten up by a huge amount of administration costs.
“A lot of my friends were feeling the same way.”
Trina decided the best way to help Queensland farming families would be to give them things they could use – food, hygiene products, dog food, lick blocks …
So she set up “South Burnett Food For Farmers”.
“It was a bit scary, it’s the first time I’ve done something like this,” she said.
Trina said the easy part was getting local businesses to come on board.
She set up collection points at multiple locations in the South Burnett, including Huston Motors in Kingaroy, Nanango SupaIGA, Murgon SupaIGA, Wondai IGA, BP Fuel Nanango, Bunya Nursery Murgon and Yarraman Produce.
But how would she get the donations to the families in need?
She picked up the phone and called the Nanango Lions Club, who agreed to come on board with the project.
“Without the Nanango Lions Club this wouldn’t be possible,” Trina said.
Nanango Lions will be sending the donated goods to other Lions clubs throughout Queensland, who will then distribute the items directly to local farmers.
Trina and a handful of helpers are picking up the goods from the donation points and delivering them to the Nanango Lions meeting room in George Street.
She picked up a trolleyload of donations from Nanango SupaIGA on Tuesday morning, all provided “by the lovely people from the Nanango community”.
Trina said Kingaroy Kindy had also joined in to help Queensland farmers.
“They will be holding Farmer Dress Up Days on Friday and next Monday,” she said.
“Each of the children will dress up as a little farmer and bring along a non-perishable item to donate, which is amazing!
“It would be nice if other businesses and schools could do the same.”
- External link: South Burnett Food For Farmers (Facebook)
