13 Jan 2020: Lifeline Grant - $10 000

T$-donations

A BIG Thank You for your overwhelming support of the One Light Fire & Water Australia Bushfire Appeal.
Because of your generosity, we were able to make the first Grant of  T$10 000 to the Lifeline 2020 Bushfire Crisis Appeal.

It is common that some people struggle to deal with feelings and thoughts that result from a bushfire or from the tragic losses that may occur. It’s important to know the difference between a common reaction to a stressful or traumatic event and signs that indicate you should seek additional support.

Common reactions:
These reactions can be severe and are at their worst in the first week after the event, however, in most cases, they fade over a month.
Beyond Common reactions:
If your day-to-day functioning is seriously affected for more than one month after the event, it’s important to discuss it with a GP or mental health professional.

Lifeline:
Lifeline Queensland is actively fundraising to assist with the national bushfire crisis as well as for ongoing Lifeline Queensland activities.

All money raised will go to:

• increasing resources to the Lifeline Queensland 13 11 14 crisis support call centre hours and crisis support resourcing
• delivering cross-border, on the ground support to Lifeline Australia to build capacity to respond to this disaster by:
  1. providing train-the-trainer sessions in Psychological First Aid (PFA) and other critical incident interventions
  2. providing experienced community recovery managers to mentor and support Lifeline Australia staff in managing community recovery responses and logistics.
• continuing to provide the Lifeline Queensland 13 11 14 crisis support and community recovery services in the wake of recent Queensland bushfires, drought and other natural disasters as well as those who are doing it tough for any other reason.

Your continuous support and generosity are greatly appreciated.

Thank you

22 Jan Water for Australia

Water for Australia

A water Campaign was set up by Bartercard Australia in partnership with One Light Charity Foundation.

At the Bartercard Bushfire Lunch on the Gold Coast, the amazing staff donated much-needed water to go towards the drought-ravaged parts of Australia.
Benowa Curries & Kebabs provided the delicious lunches, thank you!

The water was donated to Ian Schmidt, volunteering at Granite Belt Water Relief, on Australia Day.

Water Donation

28 Jan Granite Belt Water Donation - $5000

The average Australian household uses 900-litres a day, whereas the residents’ of the drought-ravaged granite belt area have to work with 80-litres a day.

We donated water on the weekend to The Granite Belt Water Relief’s Ian Schmidt. See Video
Ian told us that the Storm King dam is empty. Every day 50 tankers are carting 1.5 million litres of water from Warwick to Stanthorpe.
The state government is finalising plans for a pipeline to cart water from Toowoomba to Stanthorpe.
He said donations made to the region recently from individuals and corporations have helped residents and businesses survive.

Water donations have helped residents and businesses survive.

30 Jan Westpac Helicopter Golf Day Raffle prize - $10 000

Westpac Helicopter Services

Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service

Established in 1975 as a weekend beach patrol. Through community support and fundraising, it became a critical life-saving service that operates 24 hours per day, seven days per week from four bases in Belmont, Broadmeadow, Tamworth and Lismore. Today it delivers aeromedical search, rescue and inter-hospital transfers to care for communities throughout Northern NSW and is approaching 2,000 missions per year, with a Doctor and Paramedic on board every flight.

A Westpac helicopter and its crew were recently relocated to Southern NSW to undertake medical flights amidst the extreme heat and fire danger. Westpac 4 joined the enormous efforts of emergency personnel working on the front line. Their other three aircraft remain on call 24-7. No one has ever had to pay to be assisted by the Service.

Westpac Helicopter Services has a Golf Day 21 Febr and since they have done fantastic work with the recent bushfires we donated a raffle prize on your behalf to help them with their fundraising efforts.

Paradise Taveuni Travel Package

17/02/2020 Animal Welfare League Beenleigh - $18 500

The fire that occurred on Rossman’s Road in Stapylton was in close proximity to Animal Welfare League Qld Rehoming Centre .
The wonderful crew from the Birnam Rural Fire Brigade stayed at Animal Welfare League Qld Beenleigh Rehoming Centre until 1 a.m to ensure the animals were safe, even leaving a note to say how “well behaved” the pups were. They also brought in all the animal blankets to ensure they didn’t get ash on them.

We made contact with the State Animal Welfare League, and the Beenleigh centre

We were touched by this recent newspaper article about the Birnam Rural Fire Brigade Crew staying until 1 a.m, making sure that the AWL Beenleigh animals were safe and the lovely note that they left.

We visited the AWL Beenleigh centre on Valentine’s day, Friday 14th of February. It was the perfect day to show our love and appreciation for the beautiful work that the emergency services and the AWL are doing.

Pamela, Manager at the AWL Beenleigh, gave us the approval to deliver the following gifts on behalf of our donors.

• AWL Volunteers: $100 chocolate gift certificates
• AWL Beenleigh staff: chocolates/flowers

Max and Mason AWL Beenleigh

AWL Beenleigh animals:

•                       22 new food bowls
•                       22 sleeping mats
•                       7 harnasses
•                       5 nail clipper sets
•                       Purina Food and treats for all the animals at the AWL Beenleigh Centre
•                       John Deere ride on lawn-mower

Fluffy dog with angels Mason and volunteer Danielle

AWL QLD: Bartercard T$10 000 Grant that could be used to purchase holiday travel packages and used as raffle prizes/auction items at the AWL High Tea in May.

Details of travel packages to be discussed later on.

AWL Qld Manager Melinda Phipps

27 February Kangaroo Island

Bushfire Breakfast

Early Risers Women In Business Club

We went to a special Bushfire breakfast recently, featuring Kangaroo Island businesswoman Lisa Collins, sharing her story following the fires. 

Lisa Collins

Lisa is a former Gold Coaster. She is currently a Chocolatier & Coffee Shop owner on the Island. It was heartbreaking to listen about the mayhem and destruction that the bushfires caused on the Island.  

• A staggering 25 000 koalas and other wildlife killed
• 56 Homes destroyed
• Two people killed
• 100 000 sheep killed
• One hundred fifty-five thousand hectares (600 square miles) of the Island has been consumed by fires, calling it “an ecological tragedy.”
• Hundreds of buildings damaged
• Hitting the tourism and farming industry very hard

The before and after photos of the Island is heartbreaking.

Kangaroo Island

Lisa explained the journey ahead for its residents to regain their livelihoods & their tourism status.

   After listening to Lisa and doing intensive research about the Bushfire devastation, the One Light Board decided to send someone to visit the Island.

Lee Geldenhuys, a director at One Light Charity, will be visiting Adelaide and Kangaroo Island towards the end of February to assess how the Charity can assist victims severely affected by the bushfires. 

Andrew Everett will travel with Lee. He is Bartercard Adelaide’s accounts manager, with a passion for also helping others. 

They will also meet up with Chocolart, Kangaroo Island Liquid Gold and Acacia Apartments (Bartercard Members) 

09/03/2020 Stokes Bay Community Hall - $30 000

Kangaroo Island Projects 

The following projects have been identified as priorities that require funding support. Please note that there are other projects that have already been assisted by the government, large charities and international donors that have not been included in the projects below.

Stokes Bay

The worst affected area apart from the Flinders National Park is an area called “Stokes Bay”. Here just about the whole Community lost their homes, thousands of livestock and their Community Centre. Stokes Bay Community Hall (Incorporated Association, August 1960)

According to Black Rabbit Architects the company appointed, estimates the cost to rebuild the Community Centre as well as a Shed to house the CFS (Country Fire Services ), Fire engine- to ensure the Community is never trapped without a fire truck again and equipment, will be somewhere between $350 000 – $500.000. The Building is only insured for $150 000

So far OLC has pledged $30 000 to kick start the project. Louise is the Stokes Bay Chaplin and will help with the accountability of how the funds will be applied. The Community Centre is an incorporated organisation and the land belongs to the community, not counsel.
The Stokes Bay Hall is the heartbeat of the community. This is where the people get together, play sports and go to church. This Hall has been around for 60 years and was fitted with a new kitchen just before the Bushfires

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO HEAR THE HEART CRY OF THE COMMUNITY

Lee visiting Stokes Bay Community Hall

17/03/2020 Kangaroo Island garlic grower, Shane Leahy - $20 000

Kangaroo Island garlic grower, Shane Leahy.

Shane Leahy, lost his home while he was out fighting the Kangaroo Island bushfires as a volunteer fireman.The shed on his property, housing his business – KI Fresh Garlic -survived by pure chance, as did his dogs Socks, Lucy and her seven puppies.
Shane recently joined the Parndana CFS brigade and he’s been out fighting fires across Kangaroo Island for the past month.
But there was no time for rest or reflection at the charred ruins of his home on January 3, 2020.
The fires were still raging, so the farmer, wool classer and firefighter got straight back on the fire truck and continued the fight, trying to prevent others suffering the same fate.

The far-reaching consequences of the fire on his own life would have to wait for the crisis to pass.He found a bed for a few hours each night, either with mates or at the Parndana Country Fire Services station, and continued working from dawn until midnight, battling the blazes which still threatened homes and property across the western half of the island.

He bought the property in 2010, farming sheep, potatoes and now garlic to supplement his income as a wool classer. Originally from Fremantle in WA, he had spent years travelling Australia, classing sheep, before settling in Parndana in 2003. Now 46, he is entrenched in the community, has been president, vice-president and treasurer of the Parndana Roosters Football Club, where he clocked up his 250th game last year.
He is also a senior member of the town’s CFS, and when he heard reports that the fire had reached the town and his property, he commandeered a truck with a mate and drove towards the maelstrom.
So far OLC donated $30 000 of funds to Shane to help him with the recovery process of his garlic business and himself.

Opportunity to Donors
Help Shane to survive and restore his garlic business by supporting him with a lump sum or on a month to month basis.

CLICK ON LINK TO VIEW SHANE’S REQUEST

Lee with “Garlic man Shane” and his dogs who survived the bushfires

30/03/2020 Kangaroo Island Estate Wines - $14000

Lee and Rachel May

At Kangaroo Island Estate the May family put their heart, souls and passion into growing and nurturing the very best grapes for their exquisite, boutique wines.
On the 20th of December 2019, they had to close their winery due to the devastating bushfires.
The family, heavily involved in the CFS, will not be opening the winery for the next few weeks.
Their vineyard took a hard hit.
The family stays optimistic and posted on their Facebook that they have seen some positive signs. The plants are tough.
Just a waiting game to see if they recover enough to produce fruit.
But there is a lot of work to do either way

“Thank you so much, we really appreciate it and look forward to relaxing.

Glad the vouchers have a long expiry date with all that’s happening right now!

Cheers

Cheryl May”

06/04/2020 Chocol'art & Coffee - $3540

Pete Nash with Lee and Andrew

This Kangaroo Island coffee shop’s “Pay It Forward Wall” is helping the community, volunteers and people who lost their homes in the recent Kangaroo bushfires, to feel loved and appreciated.
Chocol’Art & Coffee situated in the central shopping district of Kingscote is supplying coffee for brewing and retail.
If you want to buy quality roasted coffee, spend your money with the people and the communities who really, truly need it.
It is a way to put money directly in the pockets of the people and communities who need it the most, and they need it now.
https://www.kicoffeeroasters.com/shop
#TimeToSupportSMEs

21/04/2020 Kangaroo Island Stock Farm - $14000

Woolshed on the Stanton farm

The Stanton family are stock farmers near Stokes Bay. They lost the most: their house, the woolshed, a special stud Ram that was bought for breeding purposes and 4,000 sheep.

Mr Stanton told us that the lambs knew the fire was coming. They all congregated in a circle. Stanton had to dig deep trenches to bury all the dead animals.The Stokes Bay Community was only expecting the fires the next day, but the wind turned. Stanton’s son fighting the fire in another area warned everyone that it was on its way and that they should get out. (A Miracle phone call, because somehow, he got through on his mobile even though the network towers had burnt down) … It wasn’t their time to die. It looked like the big “exodus” with everyone trying to get out, and the fires behind them. It was also on this road that a father and son got trapped and were tragically killed by the fires. Currently, most farmers who lost their homes have nowhere to live, some of them live in containers, the lucky ones have caravans. Stanton says that shortly after the bushfires, the rain came. People, supporters and donors lost interest and they feel alone and isolated. The insurance companies are taking a while to pay out and meanwhile they are stuck without homes or an income. Mr Stanton says he will never be able to replace the stock that he lost.

Planning our next Kangaroo Island visit.

Lee Geldenhuys

“I would like to acknowledge, honour and thank all the Fire and Water donors.
I was particularly careful with your donations, designated to the Bush Fire relief and decided to make donations in tranches.
I am looking forward to reuniting with all the beautiful Kangaroo Island people that we met. We are planning our next Kangaroo Island visit and will offer more assistance as soon as the COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted.”

Final Kangaroo Island Grants $30 000

Conclusion remarks of One Light’s Kangaroo Island support visit and final Grants made. See video

Stokes Bay Bush Garden: $10000

Paul and Carol Houston: $10000

Pastor Louise Davis: $10000

Floods - Lismore

We visited Lismore after the recent deadly catastrophe. The scale of destruction is unimaginable and incredibly confronting. The recovery will take years as the true extent of the disaster becomes clear.

Two out of three flood-affected homes in Lismore will need to be demolished and rebuilt or substantially repaired before being inhabited.

One Light volunteers Anthoni and Rob delivered cleaning products. See video

We were able to donate furniture to Lismore flood victims.

Please read more: Lismore floods

Lismore Base Hospital

𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥
With Rebekka Battista, Our Kids fundraising coordinator:
“We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, your toy donation to Our Kids has made it so much easier to get things done and thrust us forward. Thank you for your generosity and support” See video here