Fiji recovery effort brings out our best

IT’S been said many times, but maybe it’s time we heard it again. We live in one of the safest and most beautiful parts of the world. As we seem to be reminded all-too-often of late, that can change in a heartbeat.
That was certainly the case on 19 February when Cyclone Winston tore through the islands of Fiji killing 44 people, flattening homes and destroying livelihoods of thousands more.
The city of Laukota took the brunt of the storm and sits 24 kilometres north of Nadi. It sits in the largest sugar growing region and is the second largest port entry into Fiji.
We all feared the worst when the images of roofless homes in village after village reached us but as our island neighbours 2700 kilometres to our north-west try to rebuild, members of our community have been busy listening to their needs.
The Noosa Heads Lions Club got in touch with the Laukota Lions Club soon after communications were restored and while governments and international agencies have been generous with cash donations, the needs on the ground are building supplies, clothes, shoes and cotton blankets.
Spurred into action, the club approached Pillow Talk at Noosa Civic and other partners to see how they could help. Fast forward a few weeks and Lions Graham Esdale and Stuart Greenough were joined by Bendigo Bank’s Wayne Hoens and Glen Elmes MP to gather 50 blankets from Chris Draper and Chaille L’Huillier.
As luck would have it, the Catholic Churches in Brisbane had a container nearly ready to go, so the blankets will join that shipment to get to those who need it most. It’s a small part helping a small number of those Fijians on the long road back to the life they once knew, but isn’t it great when community works together to make great things happen?
So, the next time you see the Noosa Heads Lions Club volunteers holding a sausage sizzle at Bunnings or at one of our many community events in Noosa in the coming months, stop by, make a donation if you can and say thanks for their work. It makes a difference locally and globally.
If you would like more information about Noosa Heads Lions Club or the Fiji blanket project contact Graham Esdale on 0414 767 718.