Last month I was contacted by the Australian branch of the Tzu Chi Bhuddist Compassion Reflief Foundation which offered to provide financial assistance to those impacted by January’s events.
On the weekend of 2nd & 3rd February a delegation led by Queensland coordinator Patrick Lu met at Bargara with myself and Cr. Rowleson before being given an assessment tour of the devastated sectors and being introduced to the Mayor & Cr. Peters. This enabled them to come to grips with the enormity of the events and the extent of the devastation.
Meeting with Tzu Chi delegation & Cr. Rowleson
It also gave me a chance to learn more about this international organisation which has it’s foundations and home base in Taiwan and provides emergency relief to affected regions across the world following these types of events. Its members are volunteers who come from all walks of life and are someone who have professional First Aid Training to help raise funds and distribute emergency aide when needed. They seek no recognition and nor do they use their generosity to promote their religion but to simply achieve its goals.
As a result of the meeting and their assessment, Tzu Chi are donating schools uniforms, blankets, family first aid kits and other goods to about 150 impacted students of East Bundaberg State School.
I will be meeting with them again this Sunday when they return to determine how they can provide even further assistance.
If anyone is aware of a family(ies) needing urgent assistance as a direct result of the floods or tornado strikes could you please send me an Email or private Facebook Message with the details so that I can include them for Tzu Chi’s consideration? Alternatively, give me a call on 0488 539 123 but please do not post this information in the public forum.