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Mayoral Relief Fund Launched $5000 Initial DonationA Relief Fund to assist victims of the Boxing Day tsunami has been launched by Mayor, Cr Jane Rowe who has made an initial $5000 donation to the Australian Red Cross on behalf of Council and the East Gippsland community By East Gippsland Shire Council - 12th January 2005 - Back to News East Gippsland Shire Council has also joined with the Red Cross to raise additional money through the placement of collection receptacles at its Business Centres and Libraries across the Shire.
Cr Rowe said the partnership with the Red Cross was forged to ensure that all funds raised go to help the most needy of those whose lives have been forever altered by the tsunami.
"While many Australians have already dug deep, the Mayoral Relief Fund is designed to provide an opportunity for East Gippsland residents and visitors to donate to the Tsunami Appeal," she said.
"No amount of money is too small in this appeal and East Gippslanders are invited to visit any of the Shire’s offices and put whatever they can into the canister with the red top.
"And if East Gippslanders respond with their normal levels of generosity, we are confident of a significant result."
Personally experienced in disaster management, Cr Rowe said the loss of life and destruction of property and infrastructure was generally beyond our ability to comprehend.
"On the scale of world tragedies this is ‘apocalyptic’ and almost unparalleled in recorded history" she said.
"None of us can imagine a natural disaster that shakes the earth on its axis and physically relocates some land masses as the seismologists suggest this event has."
Cr Rowe said that no nation is immune from the effects of natural disaster whether it is drought, flood, fire or a tsunami.
"East Gippslanders are among those who have experienced many natural disasters and know what it means when others extend the hand of friendship to help rebuild lives," she said.
"It is now our turn to extend a helping hand to those whose lives have been forever changed by this catastrophe."
Australian Red Cross East Gippsland Regional Chairman Anne Macarthur of Hillside said the donation of $5000 by the East Gippsland Shire was a generous and welcome start to the Mayoral Relief Fund.
"We thank the council for this response to the appeal and hope our joint efforts will raise even more money to help those people whose lives have been so dramatically affected by this disaster."
For those who would prefer to contribute to the Tsunami appeal using the Internet, East Gippsland Shire Council has joined a national local government effort in directing people to the ‘Australian Giving Centre,’ a secure online donation facility administered by Our Community with support from Westpac Bank.
Our Community takes no commission or fee for this service and ensures 100% of donations reach the group of the donor’s choice, less normal bank fees.
Tsunami appeals registered with the Australian Giving Centre so far include Oxfam Community Aid Abroad, Save the Children Fund, CARE Australia, International Women’s Development Agency, United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Australia International Needs (Australia) and Habitat for Humanity.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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