By Mitchell Clarke
The community of Cardinia and beyond have come together to throw their support behind Australia’s bushfire crisis, providing financial donations and assistance where it’s needed most.
The Need for Feed disaster relief, an initiative of the Lions Clubs has already delivered fodder to fire affected townships in East Gippsland and Corryong, but their work is just getting started.
Another emergency hay run has been organised, thanks to increased community support, where hay will be transported into the East Gippsland region on Sunday 5th January 2020.
The convoy of trucks and cars with trailers is set to meet at the Officer BP service station on the Pakenham Bypass from 9am, before arriving at Traralgon Caltex at 10.30am.
It’s anticipated the group will be at the Bairnsdale Livestock Exchange from 12.30pm to 1pm.
A Need for Feed spokesperson said over 60 vehicles had registered to transport fodder and supplies on Sunday, but that number continues to grow.
Donations of fodder and finances can be done via the Need for Feed website while volunteers can also register via the website.
To get in touch with the group directly and to find out more information on the hay run, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NeedForFeedDisasterRelief/.
Meanwhile in Bunyip, almost 200,000 bottles of water were donated by generous community members on Saturday 4 January, filling trucks in an initiative by the Bunyip Fire Brigade.
The much needed water relief will be transported to fire affected communities in East Gippsland.
Beaconsfield’s Carol Clifford was one of many donors during the day, delivering pallets of water during multiple trips throughout the day.
“It’s what I do,” she said. “I have helped organise a few things over the years for the local community.”
Ms Clifford said Beaconsfield Woolworths had run completely dry, selling out of bottled water, with Aldi not far behind.
But the water collection day was felt further than Beaconsfield or Bunyip, with kind hearted people travelling from across the state to do their part.
“I was chatting to some guys up at Bunyip and they had come from Mill Park with two car loads of water and stayed to help load some trucks,” Ms Clifford added.
