Parkes Anglicare, in cooperation with Parkes Action Club, hosted a community recovery day last month to celebrate the resilience of community members impacted by last year’s floods and connect them to available supports. Over 140 volunteers from the Anglican Parish of Parkes and local service groups attended, helping create a cohesive day of support for 360 flood-impacted community members.
The event was open to all those from the Parkes area who were impacted by last year’s floods and included morning and afternoon teas, lunch, and cold slushies. Activities included pottery workshops, children’s art workshops and face painting. To aid with garden recovery, potted plants and trees were available free of charge, as was new, branded clothing provided by Thread Together. Throughout the day live music was performed by various local groups.
Volunteers from Georgie’s Pantry and Georgie’s Boutique, which are run in partnership by Anglicare and St George Anglican Parish, were essential in the planning and coordination of the event, as were members of local clubs and service groups. “We are so thankful to everyone who made this day a success”, said Ann Olson, Anglicare’s Coordinator for Parkes.
A highlight of the day was that experienced counsellors were on hand to listen and connect with impacted families and individuals, and providing referrals for ongoing supports.
“We know how resilient people in this community are, we know how hard they have worked towards recovery and this event was designed to recognise that”, said Ann. “Still, it can be quite difficult to convince some country people to come along if they feel they are getting something for nothing. That really is not the case here. These funds were set aside for just this purpose, to gather and celebrate what this community continues to achieve.”
Applications for Anglicare’s Community Recovery Grants, like the one that funded this event, are still open for projects based in Cootamundra, Parkes & Eugowra that aim to support recovery and promote community cohesion. For more information about Community Recovery Grants, and to learn about past projects, visit www.anglicare.com.au/services/get-involved/crg/ , email crg@anglicare.com.au or contact Ann at 0409 901 641 for projects in Parkes and Eugowra, or Wendy at 0417 276 768 for projects in Cootamundra.
